Bleach Bait
by Vaerin7
Summary: Ichi is transported to another world by a strange amulet after losing his family. This world is everything he's ever studied. Unfortunately it's also at war and Ichigo is taken prisoner by a warlord. The man choses Ichi as his single treasure from the kingdom, forcing Ichi to marry him. He may have found everything he lost, but Ichi can't see how this could get worse.
1. Chapter 1

Countdown: **14**

Here we go! The beginning of yet another wonderful adventure! I hope you guys like it, I sort of felt as if it didn't go as well as my other fics. Oh well, I tried. The summary sucks, but I can't help that. I didn't exactly have enough words to explain everything... so much happens T^T If any of you are wondering, this fic is based on the book 'Unicorn Bait'. Very good book, I reccomend reading it if you're into fantasy =)

Shiro: I don' like this fic! I ain't in it much! *pout*

Vae: I'm sorry, Shiro, I really tried T^T

Ichi: Don't make her cry, you asshole! DX

Shiro: I don' know what yer all pissy 'bout, she put ya in a dress. *huffs*

Ichi: I know, but I'm fucking awesome! I don't get to lord over Grimmjow often, let me relish in it! DX

Grimm: 'Lord over Grimmjow'? Fuck that, we both know that's not the case here. *scoffs*

Ichi: Sure, you keep telling yourself that. *smug smirk*

* * *

Chapter 1

Ichigo Kurosaki has lost the last thing that matters to him, the archeologist that raised him. Kisuke was a very eccentric man that swore up and down that the myths and legends of the world were real. He and his wife, Yorouchi, strove to prove that very thing. She disappeared a year ago, but Kisuke came up missing just last week… no body, no crime scene. Ichigo didn't have anyone before them, nor does he have anyone after. He sits within a drab room, in the middle of a city he's never felt a part of, searching boxes. This is all that's left of his family.

"This is ridiculous," he mutters. "Nineteen years and I'm now alone with nothing more than a box of memories."

He's a smart boy, majoring in mythology and archeology. His body is built like a swimmer, lithe with tightly packed muscle, and his spiky hair is a perfect shade of orange. His eyes are amber, just a shade away from gold, and he's well versed in many fighting styles. One of Kisuke's favorite pastimes was sparring on digs; Ichigo was one of his favorite partners. As he reaches for another box, a small wooden one is knocked onto the floor. A strange artifact rolls across hard wood to stop by the orange head's feet.

"What's this?" Ichigo questions. "Looks like an ancient relic, but it doesn't have any specific culture tied to it. Almost seems like… a mixture of them all."

He turns it about in his hands, curiosity overriding common sense, and realizes this is the very same artifact Yorouchi was studying when she vanished… the same one Kisuke took to researching when he disappeared. It's a good sized talisman that fits well in his hand, a long chain dangling from it… a key shape of sorts hanging from a large gem's bottom and the chain at its top. He lifts it closer to his face, reading the sand script along the key's handle. Tiny emeralds and rubies are set with diamonds and sapphires throughout the whole thing. The larger gem, of course, seems to pulse with a hibernating power.

"This is amazing," he breathes out. "The translation seems to read something on a world made completely of myth and legend! It would seem this is the key to it, but… how do you use it?"

He stands with the key, boxes forgotten within his living room, and heads to the kitchen. There's a line of tarnish on the handle, blocking the rest of the inscription. He quickly rubs it off, reading the last bit.

"Hold tight?" he questions. "Why would it have… Whoa!"

A blinding light bursts forth from the top gem, Ichigo's grip relaxing on the talisman before he recalls the warning. Without missing a beat, he tightens his grip on the key handle. Though it warms to a serious level, he ignores the pain of burning skin. Whatever this thing is, it's important and he's not about to lose it. He can vaguely make out his apartment melting from the outskirts of the light, a forest replacing it. Amber orbs widen in shock, fear spiking within the young man as the brilliant light recedes… leaving him in a forest he's never seen before.

"Where the fuck am I?" he gapes.

There's a ruckus from within the brush, Ichigo quickly slipping the key's chain around his neck and the ornament beneath his shirt. He's glad he kept his bag on his shoulder, the strap crossing over his chest. It's filled with his favorite books on mythology and he never sets it aside if he can help it. A man and woman step from the trees, curiosity and surprise filling them.

"My lord, what are you doing out here on your own?" a muscular redhead wonders. "We should get you back home."

"Who are you?" Ichigo wonders. "What is this place?"

"Shit," the redhead grumbles. "I think he caught amnesia. Come on, Rukia; let's get him back to the palace alchemist. I'm sure he'll be able to figure this out."

A petite raven gently guides Ichigo onto a forest path, the flimsy split rail fence around a large town just coming into view. It's like stepping back in time to a more medieval age. He can see slightly modern things about the simple town, electricity and running water, but that's about it. These people stick with carts and horses and manual labor. There's a temple near the village center, a statue of a Greek god standing tall and imposing.

"Wow," the orange head breathes out. "Dad was right… they _are_ real."

The castle is huge in the background, made of ivory and gold. Large amber pools absorb everything, all the cultures from around the world meeting in this single haven. Unfortunately, some of the animals are roaming wherever. Chickens are roosting on porch railings, eggs are strewn about like Easter, and goats seem to be the preferred lawn mower.

"They definitely need some help in this area," Ichigo mumbles.

"Here we are, my lord," Rukia grins. "Renji and I will stay with you if that's what you prefer."

"Please."

They step into the large building, Ichigo surprised it's actually quite warm considering it seems to be the beginning of spring. The throne room comes into view, a tall man with a head of shaggy white locks humming to himself as he steps out. Rukia and Renji freeze in shock, looking between Ichigo and the white haired man's back.

"Prince Shiro! I thought… but we… how did you..?"

The man turns and both he and Ichigo gasp in surprise… they look almost completely identical save for coloring. Ichigo is more vibrant than the one before him, Shiro paler and slightly taller. There's a gold circlet around his brow. They step toward each other, circling one another in awe.

"Ichigo?" Shiro questions cautiously.

"… How do you know me? Who are you?" Ichigo frowns. "Why do you look like me?"

"I don' look like ya, ya look like me," Shiro laughs. "I'm older than ya by a couple minutes."

"… I don't… follow. What are you talking about?"

Shiro frowns in disappointment, yet that expression flits by quickly. He goes to embrace the smaller male, which Ichigo quickly backtracks away from. This, too, draws disappointment from the prince. From the throne room, a dark haired man wearing a crown strides.

"Shiro, my son, what's going on?"

"Ichigo… he's…"

"We've talked about this, my son. Ichigo had to go away, he was in danger. Your mother and I placed him in more than capable hands… though they've returned unexpectedly. They assured me there isn't any danger he can't handle on his own…"

"He's right there," Shiro points out.

The king turns quickly, finding Ichigo watching cautiously. There's a heavy silence, Isshin waving Renji and Rukia away with a simple gesture. Once they're gone, he reaches for Ichigo and guides him smoothly into the throne room. Ichigo gazes upon a line of thrones, one for a king, a queen, and two extras.

"You look just like your mother," the king comments quietly. "But… you wouldn't remember her, would you?"

"… I remember my mother and I don't look like her," Ichigo frowns. "She was a great woman, but had a temper. I always liked watching her fight, she…"

"No, Ichigo… your birth mother."

"I was adopted as an infant; I was only a couple months old."

"You were sent away for your own protection. You're the second born within this kingdom… you're the princess."

"… I'll pretend you didn't say that," Ichigo frowns.

Shiro nudges Ichigo to the smaller throne, kneeling on the floor before his twin once the orange head is sitting down. The king does the same, pleading orbs watching his youngest. Ichigo doesn't know what to make of this place, doesn't know what to make of these people that insist he belongs with them.

"Ichigo, your mother couldn't have any more children with me after you two. The birthing process is strange, unable to be explained. It alternates between dominant and submissive. Each kingdom is required to name a prince and a princess, it's a rule. You were a male, but also a submissive. Since you're the only submissive child we had, you were automatically named the princess."

"That bites!" Ichigo snaps. "I refuse to answer to such a demeaning title! I want to go home!"

"Ya are home, Ichi. Wit me, where ya belong," Shiro murmurs. "I'm old 'nough ta protect ya now, ya can stay wit me now."

"Just give us a chance, Ichigo," the king sighs. "You were born here, you belong here. You don't… you don't have to call me 'father', but please… stay with your brother. Your separation hasn't gone as well for him as it has for you."

"Just until I figure out how to get home," Ichigo glowers.

Shiro gives a cheer, wrapping his arms around his younger twin's waist tightly. The king, however, stands and pats the other's head. Ichigo is pulled out of the throne room by Shiro, the paler male dragging him upstairs to the bedrooms.

"My room is right there," he states. "Yer's is next ta mine. The staff's been keepin' it clean and fixed up accordin' ta how old ya should be if ya were here. Everythin' is ready fer ya!"

He throws the heavy wooden doors open, entering the room without hesitation. Ichigo isn't as certain, his steps small and slow. The room seems basic enough; a large canopy bed with a bedside table, thick curtains over the window, a throw rug, a wardrobe, and a walk in closet. Unfortunately, the coloring is green and yellow… mid colors that could go toward either gender. The clothes are for females. Dresses, feminine slacks, frilly blouses… Ichigo's nightmare.

"I am _not_ wearing that shit," he utters vehemently.

"Well… I s'pose ya can borrow some a mine," Shiro remarks as he scratches his head thoughtfully. "But ya have ta wear it durin' meetin's and stuff. It's a rule. Royals gotta act the way they're 'xpected ta."

"I'm not a royal," Ichigo presses blandly.

"But ya are. Can' help that, it's the status ya were born inta. Don' worry, we don' have meetin's a lot. We'll have a banquet tanight, though, ta tell the village yer back! Ya'll have ta wear a pretty gown fer that."

"… I feel a cold coming on," Ichigo mutters as his twin leaves.

He's ignored, the snowy haired man shutting the door behind him. Thankfully, there's no telltale click of a lock. Ichigo sits on the bed, staring murderously at the silken gowns and frilly blouses. The pants aren't that bad, yet there's no way in hell he's going to wear the rest of this stuff. A loud booming sound shakes him, the orange headed male rushing to his window and flinging the drapes open. Outside the glassed in portal, he can make out a storm in the distance, a single figure flitting about the sky throwing lightning bolts.

"Oh my god! It's Zeus!" Ichigo gasps. "That's amazing!"

Closer to his present location, a roar rattles the window. A dragon soars over the town, completely disinterested in those below it. In its claws, however, a couple sheep bleat in panic. Thousands of questions and hopes soar within the mythology major, all the stories told to him by his parents surfacing rapidly.

"All those stories… about that place the myths retire to… it was about _this_ place," he realizes. "Mom and dad were telling me stories from _here_! This must be where they were sent when they were studying this little trinket!"

Excitement floods him, the youth bursting through his doors and rushing out to find Shiro or the king. Servants gawk in awe at the orange headed teen, word of his return not yet circulating throughout the castle. He finds the king in the throne room.

"King… uh… I don't know your name," Ichigo rambles.

"Isshin. Just call me Isshin, my youngest child!" the man grins widely. "What can I do for you?"

"I think my parents may have returned before me…"

"Yes, they did… but they're not your parents…"

Ichigo ignores the comment, sitting on the steps that lead to the thrones. Isshin is visibly hurt by his refusal to sit upon the throne that's awaited him; however the youth isn't ready for all that. This is just too much to throw on him at once.

"I want to see them," he requests. "Please. Where are they?"

"Yorouchi is on a mission at the moment, but I think Kisuke is locked up in his tower working on some contraption or another," Isshin sighs. "I've known that man all our lives, but I'll never understand him."

"Where's his tower?"

Isshin snaps his fingers and a feminine man steps in, feathers near one eye and raven locks trimmed perfectly near his shoulders. If he lived in Ichigo's other home, he'd be the perfect model… vanity and all.

"Yumichika, please take my… Ichigo… to the alchemist's tower."

With a short nod, the raven holds out a hand to beckon Ichigo. The walk is long, but not quiet. Yumichika is a very chatty person and leaves no room for rebuttal, so Ichigo spends the walk listening. Good thing his mother was the same. When they get to the tower, Ichigo goes up alone. The room at the top is large and cluttered much like Kisuke's workspace at home. Ichigo doesn't bother knocking. Kisuke is leaning over a powder mixture mumbling to himself; a familiar sight Ichigo missed terribly the last week.

"Dad?" he states.

Kisuke turns quickly, shock and joy in his features as he rushes to embrace his lost child. The warmth of the blonde's grasp melts Ichigo, safety finally within his grasp in such an unfamiliar world.

* * *

Dun, dun, dun! At least it starts out okay ;p I'm sorry if later parts getting kind of long and boring, I honestly couldn't think of much to do with it. after all, the woman in 'Unicorn Bait' pretty much didn't do anything. She was locked up for the majority of the book, until she esacped with a witch and kidnapped the warlord! Of course... that was so she could get back home and Ichigo wasn't supposed to want to go back home. ^^; Damn differences. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed chapter 1! 'Til next time!

Shiro: I'm a prince! I'm a prince an' Ichi has ta be the princess! XD

Ichi: Shut the fuck up! It's not funny! =(

Shiro: It is ta me! I'm normally the horse an' yer the king, but now I rank higher than ya an' ya gotta be a woman! *cackling hysterically*

Grimm: Don't worry, Ichi, you'll always be a gem to me. priceless and irreplacable! =D

Ichi: Awe! Grimm, you're so sweet! *hugs Grimm*

Grimm: Anything for you, baby. *grins widely knowing they'll have sex later*

Shiro: Suck up.


	2. Chapter 2

Countdown: **13**

Wow, only a day and I've already gotten 7 requests ;p I didn't think I was that popular. I forgot a rule, however ^^; As always **no mpreg unless I can explain it**! If you want mpreg in your request, you'd better be able to make me believe the reason. Anyway, I would've normally written the requests in the order they were sent, but some wanted chapters and others wanted a one-shot. I think I'll do the one-shots first, those should be easier for me. So far the line-up for those is: **Briar Black Death Rose**, **Darkdolly**, **Randomonia21**, **Narutonarutolove**, **Hollow Ichigo-Ichigo**,** Anna Mae 2243**, and **Ichigi111kurosaki**. All of which are GrimmIchi except one, which is Grimm/Ichi/Shiro. And two are vampire fics, I think.

Vae: A special thanks to Lovemeleaveme! I had completely forgotten I finished writing 'Hacking My Heart'! I'll post it right after 'Bleach Bait'. =)

Shiro: *stares at Vae like she has two heads* Ya fergot? What the fuck? What excuse could a possibly have fer that?

Vae: Shut up, I can't help it! I've been working hard to finish them all! 0/0

Shiro: Oh, I know why ya didn' 'member... I wasn' in it. ;p

Grimm: Oh yeah, Shiro, that's totally the reason. Who the fuck wants to read a GrimmIchi fic that doesn't have you in it? *rolls eyes*

Shiro: I know, right? I'm the only good character in 'em! XD

Grimm: *opens mouth to argue*

Ichi: *puts hand over Grimm's mouth* Just give it to him. His ego will deflect any blow you give it.

* * *

Chapter 2

Ichigo sits at the tower window as Kisuke watches him quietly. The reunion was tearful and filled with bear hugs… and the standard embarrassing questions from Kisuke. The man can never help himself. Ichigo is more down now; confused and uncertain of everything that's happened.

"Come on, Berry Pie, it's not that bad. You're home now; you're with your father…"

Ichigo holds up a hand to silence him, scowling in embarrassment that never seems to ebb at the lifelong nickname. Yorouchi started calling him that when he was four. He saw her making strawberry pie and asked to help, but his efforts were less than helpful and he ended up wearing the damn thing. It was funny when he was four, he thought it was the smartest thing when he commented 'look, momma, I'm a berry pie, too'… at nineteen, it's just a reminder on how stupid he was at four.

"You will always be my father, dad," Ichigo sighs. "I don't want to be what they say I have to; I want to go back to being normal and unimportant."

"I'm sorry, Berry Pie," Kisuke sighs. "I know this is hard for you, but without the Hogyoku key, we aren't going anywhere."

"… You mean this?"

Ichigo pulls the talisman from beneath his shirt, watching as his father's eyes light up excitedly. He doesn't know why this stupid little trinket is so important. Kisuke goes to reach for it, yet pulls away after a moment of hesitation. The blonde realizes the chain is now around Ichigo's neck.

"Okay, Berry Pie," he breathes out quietly. "I need you to take the chain and pull it over your head, okay?"

Ichigo shrugs and lifts the chain, gasping when it grows warm in his hands. It glows brightly, shrinking down to the point it rests comfortably around his neck as a choker. Kisuke utters a sound pulled between a groan and a whine.

"What the hell? Where's the clasp on this damn thing?"

"Stop, Ichigo, you can't take it off… it's chosen you."

"What? What do you mean?"

"We've been looking for the rightful owner of that little trinket for a long time, but no one has ever been good enough for it to choose. It's an object of great magical power and it's chosen you as its owner… it will never let anyone take it off your neck, not even you."

Ichigo whines at that, burying his face in his hands. After a moment he peeks out and toward the mirror on the wall. The choker is feminine, nothing _but_ feminine, and it destroys his male pride all the more. He doesn't care if it is a powerful weapon of magic, it's bad enough he's being called 'princess' and has to doll himself up for royal matters.

"Get it off… now."

"I can't, Ichigo. It's chosen you; no one else can touch it."

"When is mom getting back?" he sighs in relent. "I want to see her again, I've missed her. What kind of mission is she on, anyway?"

"I don't know, Berry Pie. She just told me to behave and try not to blow anything up… I've failed at _both_!" the blonde grins cheerfully.

The orange head laughs brightly, trying hard not to roll his eyes at his father. The man hasn't changed in nineteen years and Ichigo couldn't be happier about it. His parents were always a constant in his life, never changing and always providing a predictable atmosphere for him.

"There's supposed to be a banquet tonight," Ichigo murmurs. "Shiro said so, to celebrate my return or something like that. I don't want to celebrate anything without mom… and I definitely don't want to celebrate shit where I have to dress like a doll."

"I know it isn't something you're used to, Berry Pie, but your mom even went as far as conditioning you for _that_. All those Halloween outfits? Dressing you like a girl as an infant? Playing dress up with the neighborhood girls?"

"Whoa wait… those baby pictures were _mine_!" Ichigo shrieks. "I thought they were hers or your sisters or something!"

"Nope, that darling little chipmunk cheeked baby was you!"

"I'm beginning to wonder why I loved you guys so much."

There's a knock on the door, the same man that brought Ichigo to the tower stepping through the portal. He flips his hair, demanding attention from others. He doesn't speak, waiting to be noticed and obviously enjoying it.

"Yumichika? What's the matter?"

"Athena has requested an audience with the king and Prince Shiro," the raven comments. "While they're gone, the princess is in charge of the kingdom… only by presence, obviously. He's not allowed to make decisions."

"… That makes absolutely no sense."

"Kisuke will be in charge of decision making, the submissive rulers have no rights when it comes to that. You're simply here for appearances."

Fury is evident within the teen's eyes, his face reddening just a bit with his anger, and Kisuke is quick to pat him on the shoulder. It's an action he's learned over the years of rearing the other, something that manages to at least keep Ichigo from lashing out.

"We should head downstairs, they'll want to say good bye to you before they leave."

Without another word, the trio begins the long trek downstairs to the foyer. Isshin and Shiro are waiting by the doors, the prince lighting up at the sight of his younger twin. Ichigo allows the overeager embrace given by Shiro, the smaller male awkwardly patting his look-a-like's back.

"I apologize for this, my youngest son," Isshin sighs. "The banquet will have to wait until we return. Should anything happen in our absence, you're to be led away from the village to a safe place. If you're captured it isn't likely we'll have to worry about the kingdom being taken over… just you being killed. I'd rather you didn't get killed so soon after your return, so… please just do what the guards tell you."

"I can help…"

"No!" Shiro snaps. "Women don' fight here, they don' know how! If ya fight, yer attacker will assume yer dominant an' kill ya!"

Ichigo rolls his eyes, no longer arguing and definitely not saying anything that may lead to them thinking he'll do as told. Kisuke sets a hand on Ichigo's shoulder, giving Isshin a reassuring smile. He'll take care of the young princess, just as he had all those years before.

"I leave him in your capable hands," Isshin smiles. "Please take care of him."

"Why wouldn't he?" Ichigo comments in confusion. "He's my dad, after all."

"… This will take some getting used to," the raven haired man sighs.

The two head out, mounting their horses and looking back only once as Ichigo waves them off. Kisuke drapes an arm around his child's shoulders, guiding him back inside once his lifelong friend is out of sight. Ichigo is taken back to his room, set on his bed, and Kisuke rummages through his closet.

"What do you think about this one?" the blonde asks as he pulls out a glittery lavender dress.

"I don't think it's your color," Ichigo smirks.

Kisuke never felt comfortable in the typical jeans and dress shirts before disappearing, so Ichigo's always seen him in long coats and funny hats. Even now, the man has on a green and white stripped bucket hat with a long green house coat. His flip-flops are now sandals, his outfit baggy cloth pants and an equally baggy shirt. All in all… he hasn't changed much from what Ichigo remembers.

"I meant for _you_. You have to dress the part of a princess now, Ichigo. It can't be helped."

Ichigo groans in irritation, falling backward on his bed in frustration. Kisuke sighs, a reminder of the joy he found while raising Ichigo. Yorouchi couldn't have a child, that's one reason she was chosen to be an assassin when she was younger. No chance of distractions. In the assassin clan she was born to, women that can't have children are taken at a young age to be trained… and she was the best. Still is on many levels.

"I wish Yorouchi were here, she could always guilt you into dressing up rather easily."

"… Who was my birth mother?" Ichigo questions. "I mean, I don't really care… I'm just curious. Everyone seems to hold her in such regard, like she's some sort of… I don't know… goddess or something."

"She is. She can't be around you and your brother, your father had to raise Shiro and I you."

Ichigo sighs in irritation, sitting back up to glare at his 'father'. Kisuke continues to shift the clothes in the closet absentmindedly. When the orange head realizes the other is waiting for a response to continue, he gives Kisuke what he's looking for.

"But why?"

"Those are the rules. Your mother was named Masaki, but that was only her human name. She was actually the goddess, Aphrodite."

"… You're shitting me."

"Nope! As a goddess, she can only stay with a human until she gives birth to their child. She's not allowed to raise it herself, as they're only half-god… those are the rules. This place is built on those rules. Should a god or goddess take to raising their own children directly, they tend to favor them more and wars break out between the many children they birth."

Ichigo just nods, completely stunned. The words of the king spin in the back of his mind… he looks like his mother. He looks like the goddess of beauty, Aphrodite. No wonder he's gotten nowhere when attempting to assert his masculine side! He doesn't have one!

"Here you go! Closest thing you get to something you like," Kisuke grins.

He tosses Ichigo a frilly white blouse and a pair of riding slacks, the tall boots in his hands have small heels on them and there's a lacy hat in the other. The look on his child's face is perfect, a mixture of fury and understanding. Without even waiting for the blonde to leave, Ichigo strips down and changes into the feminine garb. All the while, he makes certain his colorful vocabulary is put to good use.

The day is quiet, yet holds an air of caution to it. Growing up with Yorouchi, who took advantage of her past to train Ichigo discreetly in the assassin's ways, he's learned what this feeling is. It's the calm before a storm. Bored within the confines of the palace, Ichigo managed to drag Kisuke out for a walk.

"Why didn't you get them to build chicken coops and stuff?" Ichigo wonders.

"… I honestly hadn't thought about it. It _would_ help with predators," Kisuke muses. "I'll start tomorrow!"

"What's wrong with today?"

"I'm enjoying a wonderful day off with my only child!"

Ichigo rolls his eyes at the other, a small smile touching his lips. As a baby, Ichigo was totted about to dig sites. He was home schooled by Yorouchi, just as her clan schooled her before, and Kisuke was always very busy. The blonde, however, always made it a point to take one day off a week and devote it to spending time with his child. This is much like those days when he toddled between dig areas and twine.

"Princess Ichigo, you shouldn't be out here without a guard," Renji calls from behind them.

They turn to see the redhead hurrying toward them, out of breath and slightly disheveled. It seems he threw on his armor in a hurry before running after them. The armor itself is light and made of leather, a chain link shirt beneath the top, and his sword hanging off one hip.

"I really don't need a guard," Ichigo frowns. "And stop calling me 'princess'!"

"… Okay, my lady."

Ichigo growls in frustration, turning his back on the redhead before he hits him. Kisuke waves Renji back, making certain he's far enough away that Ichigo won't be able to attack without Kisuke holding him back. As they roam through the kingdom Ichigo refuses to call his home, the orange haired male finds a sense of comfort with his father beside him. It's like walking through all those dig sites, but the buildings aren't ruins.

"This place is… quiet," Ichigo sighs after a bit. "I guess it's not that bad. It sort of reminds me of when I was younger."

"Yes, I tried very hard to raise you around quiet areas and old cities," the blonde informs. "It was very difficult, but being an archeologist helped a lot."

"It was nice," Ichigo sighs in remembrance. "All those old places and the quiet… I really liked it then."

"You'll love this place, Ichigo," Kisuke assure fondly. "Yorouchi and I tried to keep your surroundings as close to this as possible, so you should fall into it easily."

The orange head nods, though he has his doubts. The two stroll through the town, soaking in the silence and watching children run about laughing. The air is filled with the smell of baked goods and smoke from the blacksmith's, though the baked goods overpower the smell of smoke. There are buildings along the main dirt road, their wares sitting in windows and on stands outside to draw in customers.

"Let's get something to snack on," Ichigo smiles. "Do you have any money?"

"Of course!"

Kisuke and Ichigo head to the bakery, the orange headed male licking his lips at all the sweets in the window. Renji attempts to stop the other, uncertain of the princess eating common foods, however the blonde stops him. He never refused Ichigo anything if he really wanted it… he grew to adopt Yorouchi's temper. The youngest of the trio picks out a fruit pie and Kisuke pays for it, the baker's jaw hanging on an open hinge at the fact the princess just bought something from his shop. The rest of the day is spent visiting the other shops.

* * *

There we have it! I hope it's still going well =) Don't worry, things pick up a bit in the next update... I think. I really have a horrible memory ^^; Anyway, 'Born to the Shadows' is giong well, in case you were wondering. I'm on chapter 7 now and moving along steadily! I think you'll enjoy it =) 'Asylum of the Damned' hasn't been finished in outline, but the prologue is nearly done! Of course, that doesn't mean you get to read it yet ^^; Kisuke is in the prologue, however he goes by another name then. You'll understand when I post it, I promise. I'll try to explain it in the author's note. That's about it for now!

Shiro: Least I'm in 'Born ta the Shadows' more than here. *sulks*

Ichi: Shiro, you can't be the star of every fic.

Shiro: Why not? I'm better than the rest a ya!

Grimm: Shiro, they're called GrimmIchi fics for a reason.

Shiro: Ta warn the reader a future boredom. =p

Ichi & Grimm: *shake heads*


	3. Chapter 3

Countdown: **12**

I'm happy to say I'll be starting my first request today! It will be titled 'Requiem' and it's been requested by Briar Black Death Rose =) It's the only one-shot requested, so she gets to have hers first =D If any of you are curious, I just may be inclined to tell you... nope, never mind. I'm not inclined ;p I will tell you it will be GrimmIchi and as far as I know, there is no Shiro.

Shiro: *jawdrop* T^T

Ichi: *hugs Shiro and rubs back soothingly* Don't worry, Shiro, I still love you.

Shiro: The readers have abandoned me! ToT

Ichi: No they haven't, Shiro. I'm sure many of them still appreciate the chaos you bring to a fic. =)

Shiro: Ya think so? *sniffles*

Ichi: Of course I think so! No body is cooler than you! =D

Shiro: Yeah, I guess yer right. *rambles on about himself*

Grimm: *glowers at Ichi* You just had to inflate his ego again.

Ichi: I honestly didn't think it would blow up like that with such a small comment. *scratches head*

Grimm: From now on, no compliments unless they're at least _half_ an insult.

Ichi: *hangs head* Agreed.

* * *

Chapter 3

The sun is pulled across the sky by a chariot, the driver none other than Apollo. The rays shine in Ichigo's room, rousing the grumpy orange head. He sits up and yawns; stretching until he hears a few pleasing pops along his spine, and then watches the chariot place the sun. He had tried to rummage through his twin's clothes for pajamas, but Yumichika, who's appointed as his handler, refused to allow him. He ended up in a shirt that barely hangs below his backside and strongly resembles modern day lingerie… not his ideal sleepwear. There's a soft knock on the door.

"Come in," he calls.

Yumichika opens the door and waltzes in, a fluffy white towel on one arm and a basket of glass bottles in his free hand. Ichigo watches as the raven gathers some clothes from his closet and turns to face him.

"Your bath is drawn," he comments happily. "Please follow me and I'll get you all washed up!"

Ichigo is about to protest, yet can't find it in him. Even before he was yanked into this world, Yorouchi or Kisuke would bathe him. He only asked why once, but they just told him it was a bonding thing. With sleep still clinging to his fogged mind, Ichigo let's Yumichika guide him down the hall.

The bathroom is luxurious to say the least, flowers and potted plants strewn about the linoleum floor, and Ichigo has to stop a moment to take it in. The tub is raised from the floor a bit, circular in shape, and petals lay atop the hot liquid drawn. The raven sets the basket beside the tub and the towel off to the side with Ichigo's clothes, turning back to Ichigo and reaching to undress him.

"Whoa, wait a minute," Ichigo scowls. "I can undress myself, thanks."

"I'm only doing my job," the other frowns. "Now raise your hands. You have things you need to get done today; we haven't the luxury of time enough for you to deny your role in the kingdom."

Ichigo growls in anger, raising his arms to allow Yumichika to continue. The other carefully pulls off Ichigo's pajamas, ushering the naked male into the tub. Ichigo sighs in content at the feel of heat along his skin, sinking into the water and leaning back against the side of the marble tub. Yumichika gets to work on his vibrant hair, wetting it down before pulling a couple glass bottles from his basket.

"Smell," he comments. "I need you to pick a shampoo."

Ichigo sniffs the colorful liquid in the bottle; frowning at the scent of raspberries… it's never been his favorite. The next is mint, lavender, roses, and strawberries follows that. At the last smell Ichigo scowls heatedly at his snickering handler.

"That is _so_ not funny," Ichigo mutters petulantly.

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself," Yumichika laughs. "So, which one?"

"I like the mint," Ichigo offers. "It's not that feminine."

The handler says nothing, pouring some of the mint liquid into his locks and massaging it in. Ichigo sighs and sinks lower, surprised in himself that he enjoys the pampering more than he thought he would. Once he's washed up and scrubbed clean, Ichigo gets out… and glowers when Yumichika has to dry him off.

"Please stop putting up such a fight," the other sighs. "I'm purely professional at my job… and I don't go after submissive partners. I like myself a big strong dominant."

"… That was a little too much information," Ichigo mumbles.

After he's dried off, Yumichika dresses him in an outfit he'd rather burn. It's a long white dress; the silver chain wrapped around his waist is clipped with a ruby and hangs down to his mid-shin. The sleeves reach to his wrists, but are slit up past his elbows with sheer blue material belling out in that area. The raven sets a circlet upon Ichigo's head, moving the other to sit in a nearby chair. He draws over some gladiator sandals of light brown, placing them onto Ichigo's feet before sighing in satisfaction.

"I'll skip the nail polish and jewelry, but only for your benefit," the feminine man remarks. "I could make you as beautiful as your mother, though. The minute you give me the word, you'll be so glamorous every god in this world will want your hand!"

"No thanks."

Thankfully, the sandals have no heels and Ichigo can move in them rather easily. Though he'd rather not be in a dress, he tries to ignore it. The way he moves through the castle is regal enough on accident to get the help clearing a path, Yumichika trotting behind Ichigo proudly at the sight.

"My lady, do you need company today?" Rukia wonders.

"No thank you," Ichigo comments. "And please don't call me that. I was given a name for a reason."

"Of course, Princess Ichigo."

The urge to bash his head into the smooth castle walls grows strong within Ichigo at that moment, his head hanging as he tries to take calming breaths. The action is easily picked out as one Shiro uses often to keep from hitting someone, so the help is quick to move out of arm's reach. Once he feels calm enough, Ichigo heads downstairs. There's a racket going on just outside, the guards yelling as they're nearly drowned out by the screaming villagers. Ichigo's heart skips a beat.

"What's going on?" he questions.

"We must be under attack," the raven comments fearfully. "Rukia and I need to get you out of here, my lady. There have been reports of a hostile god eating up territory! You're in danger!"

Ichigo ignores the other, picking up his skirt and running down the stairs. Outside is pandemonium, villagers and guards running all over the place as they attempt to fight or flee. There aren't that many hostiles in the area, but they seem to be well known and powerful. Ichigo catches a small group of women led by an Amazonian type with light brown skin and blonde hair, a tall lanky raven chasing the women, and a man with a pack of coyotes around him. Further back he notes there's a man that seems to have a black mist surrounding him, his emerald eyes glowing from the middle of it. A head of blood red tells Ichigo Renji is engaged in battle with a large man. His enemy wears leather armor like Renji, a mask shaped like a feline's skull covering his face, and he wields a sword like a master. Laying in a perfect mess of spikes is shockingly blue locks, a cerulean color glowing from the eyeholes of the mask with the joy of battle.

"You might as well give up!" an arrogant voice growls from the mask. "You won't win, no one ever does!"

"They're fighting this hard because one of the royal family is still here," a pink haired male states from the shadows. "I heard the villagers talking about a princess in the walls of the palace."

"Fucking joy," the other cackles. "I've been looking for a new bitch to take it hard!"

"You won't touch our princess!" Renji snaps.

His efforts are renewed, but they only delay the inevitable. Without thinking and letting his temper get the better of him, Ichigo grabs a thin sword from an injured soldier and marches forward. Renji is knocked to the ground, the strange man bringing down his blade to end the redhead… yet Ichigo's weapon stops his short. That stormy blue stares into furious amber, the younger male easily pushing the stunned warrior back. Glaring at his long skirt, Ichigo uses the sword to cut the fabric before he rips the skirt off at his knees. He twirls his blade with a practiced hand, dropping into a defensive stance and raising his blade with a determined scowl.

"… You're the princess?" the foe comments with a snort of laughter. "Are you fucking kidding me? Hall! Get your ass over here and put this bitch in her place!"

Before anyone can move, Ichigo lands a heavy kick to this enemy's gut. The warrior doubles over in pain, gasping as he stumbles back in surprise. Ichigo swings his borrowed sword in a downward arch, nicking the bone mask around the cheek as the other pulls away enough to avoid anything fatal. Ichigo thrusts his weapon, the steel clanging with that of his foe's. The two separate quickly, eyeing one another as the blonde steps closer.

"No," the warrior states with a feral growl. "Never mind… I'll break this one myself."

"You can try," Ichigo scowls.

"Princess, please, you mustn't fight," Renji coughs out. "You need to get out of here."

"Shut up," the orange headed male snaps. "You have no idea what I'm capable of. Now, keep watching… maybe you'll learn a thing or two."

"Ouch," the lanky raven cackles.

A ring of people surrounds them, all of them eager to witness the victory of one or the other. The villagers pray to the gods that live within this place the winner will be their princess. Ichigo doesn't want to let them down, but he also can't worry about them at the moment… he needs to concentrate. He breathes, even and quiet, just as his mother taught him. Ichigo readies himself, reading his opponent's every movement and subtle shift, and then he's charged. Ichigo pivots around the blade coming his way, ducking a wild fist and kicking out to trade blows.

"You're a feisty little minx, aren't you?" the warrior breathes out seductively. "No wonder they weren't worried leaving you here all alone."

"They say I'm a princess," Ichigo remarks coolly. "But I can assure you, I don't believe a word of that… and I wasn't raised like one."

He darts forward, tossing his sword aside and landing a strong punch in the larger man's stomach. Once more the other is caught off guard, unable to defend very well when the small orangette slams a hand into his Adam's apple. While he's busy gagging at the strike, Ichigo grabs his sword hand and presses his thumb on the nerve there. The body before him seizes up, dropping the blade immediately. One powerful kick to the chest and the warrior is slammed into a pile of crates.

"Take that, fucker!" Ichigo cheers.

A rustle of broken wood and a groan of pain drifts from the pile of debris, the warrior standing easily. Bruises blossom on his tan skin, yet he doesn't show signs of feeling the pain. It irritates the younger male, yet he tries not to show it. The other charges again, sword drawn and ready to run Ichigo through. Ichigo dodges deftly, weaving around each blow with an expert ease. The blade is thrust at Ichigo's head, the orangette ducking to the side… and then the hilt is brought down sharply on the back of Ichigo's neck. With a sharp intake of breath, Ichigo's sight goes black and his body drops.

Renji moves to catch the princess, yet he's beaten by the large warrior that defeated him. One strong corded arm wraps around Ichigo's petite waist, lifting him against his leather clad body. The warrior shifts Ichigo, tucking him against his side snuggly before waving on his men.

"This kingdom and its princess are now the territory of Grimmjow Jaegerjaques," the warrior calls out. "Son of Ares, the Greek god of war, and Holda, the German goddess of the wild hunt!"

"We'll secure the village," the lanky raven states. "The girls are better at securing palaces anyway; they're sticklers for floor plans."

"Go," Grimmjow snaps. "Hallibel, lead the women into the palace and make sure no one gets in… or out. Nelliel, find the princess's handler. I want to know about my new treasure."

The group nods and splits up, the redhead moving to retrieve his princess without thinking. A blade is at his throat, the warning snarl leaving no doubt to the blue haired man's intentions. Should anyone touch what he's claimed as his own, he'll kill them. Renji backs off, cursing himself for allowing the princess to be captured by this brute. It's no surprise to the village that Grimmjow came here; he's been steadily spreading out his territory since he set foot outside his parent's gaze. It makes his parents proud, but the human population could do without a young god trying to do so. The strange thing is, every kingdom he overruns still stands. He only harms those he needs to, takes only a single treasure from the place he claims, and even leaves the seated royal family in place. He rules them all from his own palace closer to this world's equivalent to Mount Olympus. This will be his twentieth conquest. Renji is lifted harshly to his feet by a man with shoulder length brunette locks, shoved forward with a look of warning. As long as he stays cooperative, he'll be fine.

Ichigo wakes with a groan, glancing around himself to see that he's in his horribly decorated room. For only a moment, he thinks it was all a dream. When he sits up, however, he realizes his dress is the same he was wearing during the fight. There's a knock at his door, and then Yumichika is hurrying in with a panicked look to his face.

"What's the matter, Yumi?" Ichigo questions.

"You've really gone and done it now, my lady," he frowns. "The man you were fighting is the child of two gods! He's a _purebred_! You had no chance of winning; you should've just run away! Now he's claimed you as the single treasure he takes from each kingdom he conquers!"

"… What?"

"Wait… he's coming. I'm supposed to make you look presentable; we have to hurry if you don't want him watching!"

"Fuck him!" Ichigo snaps. "I'm not doing anything to please that arrogant fucker! Just forget it!"

"Have you no idea what he can do?"

Ichigo crosses his arms over his chest stubbornly, sending a pointed look to Yumichika that clearly states he doesn't care. The raven is nearly on his knees begging Ichigo to cooperate as the door is flung open. Ichigo sends a venomous glare toward the newcomer, surprised to see the warrior without his mask on. His eyes are as blue as ever, his matching locks pushed back by running a hand through it, and the face that looks back at Ichigo is perfect while still being disgustingly arrogant. Ichigo is speechless, keeping his angry scowl in place to hide it. The man before them looks Ichigo over a moment, noting the defiance that lies heavily upon Ichigo's shoulders like a shroud. He waves Yumichika away, shutting the door behind the raven afterward. There's silence for a long moment, the two simply staring one another down.

* * *

Enter Grimmjow! The most powerful purebred child of the gods! XD Rule breaker, kingdom leveler, treasure stealer... You get the idea ;p Poor Ichi, now prisoner to an arrogant man with too much power and an overactive libido. Because we all know, you can't have a Grimmjow _without_ an overactive libido. That's just no fun XD I apologize for forgetting to post 'Hacking My Heart', but if I continue to remind myself through my notes I'm less likely to forget again! If I don't make a reminder, I'd appreciate one from my readers ^^;

Grimm: ... That update didn't seem right somehow. =(

Ichi: I thought it was great! If you hadn't of gotten in that lucky shot, I woud've kicked your ass! XD

Shiro: As it should be ;p

Grimm: ... I'm beginning to see why you placed this one as your favorite, _princess_. *smug smirk*

Ichi: Careful, Grimm. I still have the right to lock you out of the bedroom. *warning glare*

Shiro: Ha, ha! Even when ya win a fight, he still owns yer ass! XD

Grimm: It's so not fair. *sulk*


	4. Chapter 4

Countdown: **11**

Another update! How wonderful! XD You guys are so lucky I don't have a life ;p I'm working diligently on 'Requiem' right now, my first request from Briar Black Death Rose! I'm about 2-3 pages in =) By now, you guys should have realized my one-shots are rather long ^^; I don't think this one will be 15 pages, but then again... I didn't think the others would be either ^^; Anyway, I'll post it as soon as it's finished! I think you guys will like it =D

Shiro: I'm in it... sort a, but it's still a win! XD

Vae: You're lucky I love you, Shiro. =)

Shiro: That's all that matters!

Ichi: Seriously? You couldn't let me have one fic without him ruining my life, could you? DX

Grimm: Hey, I have no qualms. =3

Vae: That's only because he's going to help you get what you want ;p

Grimm: As long as he works for me, I say throw him in all the fics!

Shiro: I love ya Grimm-kitty! *throws himself into hug with Grimmjow*

Ichi: *shakes head* Emotional idiots.

* * *

Chapter 4

The silence grates on Ichigo's nerves, but he can see how it affects the man watching him as well. Grimmjow moves forward and Ichigo puts the bed between them, his stance tense and ready for attack. The blue haired man's lips twitch with a smirk at this.

"Princess Ichigo," Grimmjow purrs. "I told your handler to make you presentable… what seems to be keeping him from doing his job?"

"I told him not to bother," Ichigo glares. "I've never been very good with authority figures… I seem to challenge them without meaning to. You tell me to look presentable; I roll around in mud just to spite you."

"… You're not what I would expect of a princess. Normally they're too busy pissing themselves to stand up with a weapon."

"I was born a fighter."

Grimmjow moves closer, carefully making his way around the bed. Ichigo finds himself trapped unless he's willing to crawl across the bed… he's not stupid enough to try. The minute he touches that bed, he has no doubts this warrior will attempt to rape him. Instead, he jumps onto the bedside table when Grimmjow tries to tackle him. Leaping toward the wall and kicking off it, he manages to dive over the muscular form and summersault onto his feet once more. The orange head makes a break for it, yelping when two blades are brought down to cross over the doorway. Outside are two guards working for Grimmjow, both sneering meanly at the runaway princess.

"What's the matter, Grimm, can't handle a little bitch?" the tall lanky one asks.

"Shut the fuck up, Nnoitra! He's just a little slippery, that's all. You keep him inside this room, or I'll kick both your asses!"

"Got it!"

Ichigo is grabbed by his shoulder, Grimmjow easily throwing him backward and across the room. His body hits the marble wall hard, the ache tearing through him. Grimmjow moves until he's only a few steps away from Ichigo, keeping just out of leg reach to avoid any hostility from the smaller male.

"I don't ask for much when I conquer a kingdom," he replies. "I only hurt who I need to; I don't even dethrone their king… I only ask for a single treasure. Nothing more. I've claimed you as my treasure from this one, you'll be my wife."

"Oh _hell_ no," Ichigo glowers.

"This is only the twentieth kingdom your village knows of that I've conquered," Grimmjow growls. "All the others were decimated… buildings, people, and all."

"I don't know which part of 'problem with authority' you're not getting, but threats aren't a good way to get me doing what you want."

Grimmjow smirks at that, eyeing the fiery male carefully. There's something about Ichigo that seems to pull him in, something powerful. Just gazing upon him strikes a familiar feeling, one he normally only gets from being around a god or goddess. He holds himself higher, using every inch of his six foot one frame to intimidate his captive.

"You _will_ marry me, or I'll kill everyone within this village… starting with your handler. Is that what you want? The blood of the innocent on your hands? Knowing you could've saved them all if only you acted like the princess you're supposed to be? Can you live with that?"

"Hmm… live with the blood of the innocent on my hands, or live with your arrogant attitude. Decisions, decisions."

"Bring in the handler," Grimmjow calls. "And my sword."

Yumichika is thrown to the floor at Grimmjow's feet; the sword tossed is caught by the handle with ease. One twirl of the blade and it's being brought down by one hand, the raven's eyes large and fearful as Ichigo watches. Without thinking, the orange haired male throws himself between Yumichika and the warrior. He closes amber eyes in fear, waiting for his life to end… but it doesn't. One amber pool peeks open, finding the sword only a hair's breathe away from his throat. Grimmjow has such ability with his weapon, he can still a blow in the last seconds.

"So… you _are_ a princess after all," Grimmjow sneers. "You'll marry me, or next time I'll tie you up so you can't interfere. Understood?"

"… Yes," Ichigo mutters bitterly. "But I'll make your life a living hell. You've been warned. If you don't want life difficult from here on out, back the fuck away from me."

"I'll expect you to look good for our wedding," the other grins wickedly. "And punishment will follow any disobedience. Before you say anything, remember who you're talking to. I know ways of hurting you that'll leave a nice emotional scar you'll never get rid of."

Immediately, Ichigo can think of what he's talking about. This man looks as though he's built for nothing but sex and taking into consideration how women were treated in medieval times… Ichigo knows he's hinting about rape.

"You're not having sex with me," he scowls.

"I will and you'll fucking like it," Grimmjow scoffs in response.

"… You're not touching me until I say it's okay," Ichigo negotiates timidly.

"… I'll agree to that, but only for a month. After that, your ass is mine."

Ichigo sighs in relent, praying he finds a way to run off before then. Grimmjow, satisfied to be getting his own way, nods and leaves the room. Before he steps through the doorway, however, he calls over to the women that follow him. Ichigo can barely hear the soft instructions to get the orange head ready.

"You saved me," Yumichika remarks in awe. "You shouldn't have done that, it was reckless. Your life is worth a million of ours."

"That's where you're wrong, my life is no more important than anyone else," Ichigo remarks.

The women working for Grimmjow glide into the room in their leather armor. The one at the lead is the blonde amazon, her green orbs skimming the room in boredom. Behind her is a woman with an hourglass figure and long curly sea green hair. She turns hazel eyes on Ichigo excitedly.

"Hello, Princess Ichigo!" she squeals. "My name's Nelliel! I'm one of Grimmjow's trusted allies and maids! This is Hallibel and her sisters; Sun-Sun, Mila Rose, and Apache. We've been sent to get you ready for your wedding today!"

"… Oh really!" Ichigo gasps in feigned excitement. "I simply can't wait! But… darn it; I left my best clothes downstairs. Unfortunately, they've been scattered about. I would so love to wear my very best outfit to my one and only wedding… could you girls go gather everything for me?"

Nelliel grins widely and nods, ushering the women out without another thought. The minute they're gone, Ichigo shuts the door and locks it. Yumichika watches curiously as he rummages through his closet. He pulls out a long black dress, stripping down and pulling it on. The skirt is layers upon layers of black material, each a different length as they grow shorter toward the waist. The top is bunched up and lies off his shoulders.

"Help me put on this damn corset," Ichigo mutters grumpily.

Yumichika gets up quickly, tightening the black leather corset around Ichigo's frame. The bottom fans out in sections like a plaited skirt. The raven sighs as he winds a black ribbon down Ichigo's right arm from just above his elbow, careful to make it look like it belongs. When he's finished, he moves toward the jewelry box and Ichigo hunts down a pair of black heels. His handler drapes a silver chain around his neck, the charm one of a cross studded with rubies.

"Do I look like I'm saying goodbye to my life as I know it?" he asks.

"Pretty much."

"Excellent! Let's see how that high and mighty asshole likes this!"

"Are you sure it's a good idea to make a god angry, my lady?" the raven asks in worry.

Ichigo shrugs it off. The two are shocked when the bedroom door is broken in by the amazon, her green eyes glaring furiously at the male that tricked them. Behind her Nelliel pouts with the other three. Mila Rose snarls at the orange head, flipping her long curly dark brown hair back as her green eyes cut into Ichigo. Her skin is light brown and her outfit resembles Hallibel's Amazonian appearance. Beside her is Apache, the woman with a dark blue bob, mismatched eyes, and pale skin. Her sister, Sun-Sun, is braiding her own long green locks. Lavender eyes watch everyone with withheld mischief.

"That wasn't very nice," Nelliel frowns. "You didn't leave anything downstairs."

"I'm sorry," Ichigo comments. "I just didn't want you dressing me. I don't even know you guys, I'm very shy. I didn't even let Yumi help without pulling teeth."

"Such a shame, I would've loved to yank those teeth from your gums," Mila Rose growls. "And what the hell are you wearing? You're getting married, not going to a funeral! Grimmjow will not appreciate this."

Ichigo crosses his arms over his chest, a sadistic smirk on his lips. He can tell no one knows about Yorouchi and Kisuke raising him, nor have they learned they taught him many levels of fighting. He'll keep that a secret for now. For all they know, he's just a rebellious princess that doesn't like to conform.

"Tough. It's my wedding, as much as I don't want it," Ichigo grins meanly. "If I want to wear black to my wedding, I'll damn well wear black! He's taking my freedom, but he won't do so without a fucking fight!"

"How pathetic," Hallibel remarks quietly. "Even we know when to cut our loses and quit the fight. You should just do as you're told."

"Not happening," the orange head frowns. "I'll die fighting!"

Without further ado, the blonde grips Ichigo's upper arm and hauls him out of the room. He trips over his own feet as he's taken downstairs. Amber eyes immediately search out any possible exits, yet finds them all guarded and locked. A sigh of annoyance passes his lips as he's pushed to stand beside the blue haired man. Grimmjow sends him that feral grin, a silent promise of pain and agony should he back down. Ichigo has always been quick to answer a challenge with hostility.

"A little inappropriate to be wearing black to your wedding," Grimmjow frowns.

"I'm mourning the death of my freedom," Ichigo answers easily.

The larger male snorts in humor, the unmistakable hint of interest in his eyes. He holds Ichigo's upper arm roughly, pulling him closer before turning to face a man with shoulder length pink hair and dark golden eyes. The orange head saw him outside during the fight, yet he has no clue who he is. It would appear he's the acting priest, though, as he's standing at the ready to marry off a reluctant princess.

"You've chosen this submissive as your treasure?" the man questions.

"That's right. Let's just skip to the last part, Szayel; I'm not one for ceremony," Grimmjow waves off before glancing at Ichigo. "And I wouldn't want my new treasure mourning for very long."

Ichigo rolls his eyes at the statement, tempted to rip his arm from the other's hand. He stills the urge, knowing it isn't smart to make the warrior angry with so many of the kingdom's people gathered.

"Very well," Szayel remarks. "Bring the branding iron."

"What!" Ichigo shouts in shock. "What the hell do you need a branding iron for?"

"You're a noisy one," the larger male huffs. "As much as I love irritating people, I'd rather you not make a fool of yourself right now. If you don't behave, I'll have to hold you still. I don't want you hurt."

"You're planning on burning my skin with a fucking branding iron! Either way this goes, I'm gonna be hurt, dumbass!" the orange head snaps.

"Restrained it is."

Grimmjow easily moves behind Ichigo, hooking his arms beneath the other's and his hands behind Ichigo's head. The orangette panics when the red hot iron is brought his way, the heat scalding as it comes within an inch of his upper right arm. Ichigo fights to get away, the lanky raven grabbing his right wrist to hold his arm still. The iron is pressed into his arm, the searing pain sending a scream from Ichigo's throat. Blinding white flashes before his eyes, but it's not from pleasure. When the iron is pulled away, he can swear some of his skin went with it. Amber eyes roll into the back of his head, the pain too much to stay conscious, and his body goes lax in Grimmjow's hold. The blue haired warrior lifts the smaller male into his arms once he's out, sending a glare toward those they've conquered.

"No one approaches my new treasure, or I'll kill them."

"I apologize, but I can't do that," Kisuke remarks from the crowd. "Whereas I'm fine with cooperating during this shame of a wedding, I can't let you keep me away from my child."

"… You're child? He's the princess, he's King Isshin's child."

"By birth, yes, but I've raised him for the last nineteen years of his life," the blonde states affronted. "He's _my_ son."

"… We'll talk later. Right now he's not to be disturbed."

Grimmjow carries Ichigo past those watching with baited breath. A worry he's never felt before begins to gnaw at his insides, one he doesn't like in the least. For the life of him, he can't see why the alchemist would sit and watch his child get forced into marriage. It's not hard to see the man is ridiculously powerful, so why didn't he stop all this? There must be more to Ichigo than he's shown.

"You might be more fun than I first thought. Glad I didn't overlook this place."

He doesn't bother with the king's room, he never does. Instead, he takes Ichigo into the princess's room. He kicks the door shut, lying Ichigo on the bed before looking for some pajamas for him. The skirt to his dress is too puffy for him to sleep comfortably. He locates a thin sleeping shirt and goes about undressing his treasure, not bothering to take in details. Once Ichigo is changed, he tucks him in and runs a hand absently through orange locks. The other cringes and shrinks away from the touch in his sleep, yet Grimmjow doesn't mind. This is usually how princesses act when married in a conquering. He's taken lovers from defeated kingdoms before, but this is the first human treasure he's taken… he couldn't help but marry them. No one else has ever caught his fancy that strongly.

* * *

Yea! Grimmjow has forced Ichigo into marriage! XD Wait... that didn't sound right =( Oh well, Ichigo will get over it... eventually ;p I hope you all enjoyed the update! If you think this is the end of Ichigo's rebellion, you're soooooo wrong ;p This is only the beginning! For once, Ichigo isn't going to lay down and take it! Unfortuantely for those of you hoping for an early lemon ^^; You should know by now I try my hardest to develop the relationship. I'm not master enough with this to develop a viable relationship from a rape/prisoner situation =( Don't worry, though, you'll be happy that they're together at least once in the fic! =) Now... back to 'Requiem'.

Shiro: Ya should a just let Grimm bang Ichi right in front a all the guests! Put 'im in his place early!

Ichi: *beats Shiro into unconsciousness* I swear, if you ever do something like that I'll fucking kill you, Grimm! DX

Grimm: *just arrived* ... Where the hell did this come from? Did I miss something? 0o

Vae: *whispers* I'll tell you later. Right now just nod your head and say 'don't worry, Kitten, I love you too much to do that'.

Grimm: Uh... Don't worry, Kitten, I love you too much to do that.

Ichi: You damn well better!


	5. Chapter 5

Countdown: **10**

I'm glad 'Requiem' turned out so well, a lot of my readers left wonderful reviews. I'm sorry about sort of leaving the asylum as is, I was going to write something on Grimmjow's slight appearence at the cameras, but I forgot ;p Anyway, have you ever been so pissed you're sort of in the middle of crying and breaking something? That's my day today =( And it can't be something big like... breaking up with a boyfriend (as if), or getting in an arguement with your best friend. No, it couldn't be something like that or worse... it has to be technology. Why the hell can't technology be as easy as writing a fanfic? All I wanted was to connect to the wifi with my DS so I could find some people across the f-ing globe to trade pokemon with! But no! I can't get what I want, the damn wifi won't connect! DX Why not go to the customer service website, you ask? I DID! I spent 3 freaking hours going through their f-ing steps! Do you think it helped at all? Please, that would be far too easy! I went through them three times! If the stupid links weren't working, I was still hitting the same error! I could pull my hair out if it wouldn't have hurt! DX

Shiro: *backs away slowly with wide eyes*

Ichi: *hisses in whisper* Shiro, what did you do?

Shiro: Uh... I don' know, but if I did anythin' it must've been real fuckin' bad. 00

Grimm: Your insanity finally rubbed off on her, I knew it was gonna happen! *scolds*

Ichi: I think we better get out of here while she's still throwing a tantrum over that way.

Grimm & Shiro: Good idea.

Trio: *sneak away quietly... but quickly*

* * *

Chapter 5

Ichigo wakes in his own room, the moon high in the sky as Artemis pulls it along behind her chariot. Her presence lulls Ichigo a bit, yet he can't help but think about the king and Shiro. His heartbeat speeds up upon realizing their meeting with Athena couldn't be that long… they're most likely on their way back. He sits up and hisses in pain at the burn on his arm.

"Son of a bitch," he mutters.

"Damn, does your temper have an off button?"

Ichigo jumps, startled at the sound of another's voice. His amber eyes search the pitch to find glowing blue across from him. Grimmjow is sitting at the small table, watching out the window before Ichigo had woken and garnered his attention. In that moment of alertness, the orange head realizes he's in pajamas instead of his wedding dress.

"Was Yumi in here?" he asks quietly.

"No. I changed you."

His blush brightens through the pitch, drawing a bark of laughter from Grimmjow. The larger man stands and moves toward Ichigo, who immediately starts backing off the bed. Before he manages to slide onto the floor and put the bed between them, the blue haired beast grabs his ankle and yanks him back along the silk sheets.

"You're a very untrusting bitch, you know that?"

"Excuse me for not trusting the man that forced me to marry him," Ichigo deadpans.

"I agreed not to force you to have sex with me, what more do you want?"

"Freedom."

Ichigo kicks at Grimmjow's face, gasping when his foot is caught and the larger man spreads his legs. Grimmjow keeps his body close to Ichigo's in attempt to disable his feet, grabbing up both wrists and pinning them to the mattress above Ichigo's head. The orangette's feet kick at the backs of Grimmjow's thighs, amber pools littered with panic and anger, yet the blue haired man just presses closer to still his new wife.

"I can do this all night, princess," he sighs out. "I'm actually starting to enjoy it… can you feel just how much?"

Ichigo gasps at the hardness that presses against his thigh, the panic only growing. He writhes underneath his captor, trying in vain to get away as Grimmjow grins at him. After a moment, he lies still with an air of defeat.

"See? That's not so bad, is it?" Grimmjow questions.

Ichigo says nothing, gasping when he's shifted about on the bed. Grimmjow is in nothing but a pair of sleeping pants, his chiseled chest hot against Ichigo's body. When the other lies down, the orange haired male tries to get away again with no luck. Those corded muscular arms are locked around him, keeping his arms trapped at his sides. One leg curls over the smaller male's, making certain he can't move.

"Get out of my bed!" Ichigo hisses.

"I'm married to you; I have a right to sleep with you."

"No you don't."

"Tough. I'm not moving and if you try to get out of this bed without my permission, I'll break your fucking legs," Grimmjow growls in an animalistic manner.

Ichigo stiffens against him, but doesn't move again. He just lies there for a long while, listening to Grimmjow's breathing slowly evening out into sleep. The heartbeat thumping against his back, the rhythmic breathing from the man behind him, and the day's events soon have Ichigo drifting off once more.

The next he wakes, the orange head finds himself alone. Grimmjow had left him tucked in and comfortable, an extra blanket thrown over him during the chill of early morning rain. Ichigo rubs sleep from his eyes as he sits up, yawning and stretching before getting up to bathe. The bedroom door opens quietly, the blonde alchemist sneaking in as Ichigo watches in confusion.

"What are you doing?" he asks.

Kisuke jumps in surprise, whirling about quickly and hissing for Ichigo to be quiet. The orange head raises a brow at the dramatic display of waving hands, yet says nothing more. There are footsteps outside in the corridor, Kisuke looking about rapidly before diving into the younger male's closet. Hallibel opens his door.

"Are you all right, my queen?" she wonders.

"Don't call me that," Ichigo scowls. "And other than the fact I'm married to a complete asshole, I'm fine."

"I heard the alchemist got out of his tower…"

"Oh, so you're locking everyone up and not just me. That's wonderful to hear. I get married to ensure their freedom and safety, yet they're kept prisoner in the palace. Just perfect!"

She rolls her green eyes at Ichigo, huffing a bit to keep her patience. Ichigo usually isn't one to complain, taught to roll with the punches and improvise or adapt, but he needs this woman out of his room. He doesn't want her to find Kisuke. If the blonde hid from her, he did so for a reason. Ichigo can only guess no one is supposed to be visiting him, especially since Yumichika wasn't there to wake him and get him ready for the day.

"If you need anything, I will be just outside with Nelliel. We've been appointed to care for you."

"Where's Yumi?"

"He'll no longer be tending to you."

"Fuck that! Yumi's my handler; I won't deal with anyone but him!"

"I will see what I can do," the woman sighs in exasperation.

Once she's gone, Ichigo quickly locks his door and returns to his closet. Kisuke is huddled beneath a pile of dresses the orange head ripped off their hangers in annoyance. Ichigo smirks at the look on Kisuke's face, one he remembers from when he pissed off Yorouchi.

"You're safe for now," Ichigo chuckles. "What are you doing here?"

"Your mother is back," the blonde sighs. "When she found out what she missed, I had to get out of the tower really fast… or risk losing something I'm extremely attached to. How are you holding up? Did that man hurt you?"

"No. He irritates me and seems to love pissing me off for some reason, but all we've done is argue," the teen sighs. "What do you know about him?"

Kisuke looks away, a shadow from his hat's brim hiding his eyes for a moment. It isn't much longer that he pulls himself from the closet and looks the room over. Grimmjow's mask is the only thing he left upon the table, the only indication he was there.

"He's powerful," Kisuke murmurs. "Very in tune with everyone else's potential. He was born for war, a mini force of destruction that takes after his father, Ares. He loves to hunt more than battle; he gets that from his mother. He doesn't like harming people, but he's not against it if it means he gets something he wants."

"He called me his treasure," Ichigo frowns. "What do you know about that?"

"That's odd. Grimmjow loves pretty things, but always objects. When he defeats a kingdom, he takes the most beautiful thing he can find as his prize. He's never chosen a person, never even gave them a second glance. Afterward, he stays a few days to hash things out with the king and takes his chosen treasure back to his own palace. I hear he takes perfect care of them. He's never been a people person; I'm shocked he even chose to get married. He's more the lustful type, love them and leave them. It's said he has feline in his blood."

Ichigo nods and paces his room thoughtfully, cursing his luck up and down. Footsteps sound once more in the hall and Kisuke quickly transforms himself into a blond cat, leaping up onto Ichigo's bed with a mew. Grimmjow tries the door to find it locked, slamming a boot into the wood and breaking the lock with a single kick.

"Lock that door one more time and I'll have Nnoitra remove the whole fucking door," he snaps.

"I wouldn't lock it if people knew how to knock," Ichigo comments with a raised brow. "Just because I'm prisoner here, doesn't mean I can't have privacy."

"Actually, yes it does. Where the hell did that cat come from?"

Ichigo glances over to Kisuke's feline form in boredom, the youth still standing in his pajamas. He turns back to Grimmjow and shrugs his shoulders uncaringly. The larger man strides to the bed, reaching for the cat that just stares at him.

"I want to keep him," Ichigo states. "I like cats. He just wandered in looking for attention."

"Fine, if that's what you want," Grimmjow waves off with a scratch to the cat's ear. "I hear you're being bitchy to Hallibel."

"I want Yumichika taking care of me, not some strange women," Ichigo bristles. "I just got used to him; at least he made me comfortable with all this servant stuff. Besides, he's a guy and they're not…"

"Exactly," the other frowns. "I'm the only man that will ever touch you again. That's why the girls are going to care for you. I won't budge on this decision, so you'll just have to deal with it."

Ichigo opens his mouth to complain yet again, but he's stopped when Grimmjow locks their lips together. He tries to pull away, but a hand grips his hair roughly from behind and presses him closer. It's not a long kiss, yet it's hard and ends with a nip to his bottom lip. The minute he's let go, Ichigo socks Grimmjow in the jaw with everything he has. The hit hurts his fist and Grimmjow stumbles back from the force.

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of that attitude of yours," he cackles. "That hit might've left a bruise. Your hand okay?"

"Get the fuck out of my room!" Ichigo shouts in frustration.

"First off, it's my room as well now . Secondly, I'm not going anywhere until I know your hand isn't injured."

Ichigo growls, however he relinquishes his hand. He's lucky it isn't busted. Grimmjow checks it over, humming to himself before dropping the offered hand. He grabs an outfit from Ichigo's closet and shoves it into the other's chest, though he withholds a large amount of force so he doesn't harm his wife.

"Go take a bath and change," he comments. "The king and prince will return sometime this afternoon."

"How do you know that?"

"My spy saw them heading this way, he's usually only off by a few minutes when estimating time. Hurry up, I want you presentable."

"… You know I'm gonna go out of my way to look like shit when you say that, don't you?"

"I know. I'm curious to know how far you'll go to be defiant."

With that, Grimmjow exits and leaves Ichigo standing in his room with Kisuke's feline form. As he walks out, a black cat walks in. They both eye one another curiously before passing each other by. The black cat prances into the room and jumps up onto the bed, immediately laying a clawed paw against Kisuke's furry head. He yowls in pain, jumping off the bed and hurrying to hide behind Ichigo.

"… Mom?" Ichigo asks in shock.

She looks pointedly to the door; however Ichigo grabs up both felines and carries them to the bath. The lanky man with raven hair and an eye patch follows his progress down the hall, the bubbly Nelliel waiting at the bathroom door.

"I drew your bath water!" she states jovially. "Nice and hot! Hurry so I can wash your hair and…"

"Not today," Ichigo sighs out. "I just want to be alone right now. If you must, stand outside the bathroom in case I need something."

"… Okay, I guess that'll be fine."

Ichigo walks in and shuts the door, allowing the felines to jump onto the floor where they turn into his parents in a cloud of purple fog. Yorouchi undresses her child, pushing him into the tub and rummaging for shampoo in the small basket of glass bottles. Kisuke sits across from his son, a thoughtful gaze upon his features.

"How could you let Ichigo get married?" Yorouchi frowns. "You have power enough to destroy everyone here, you could've stopped it."

"The Hogyoku chose him as its wielder," he murmurs. "He's safest with Grimmjow; no one can touch him as long as he's the beloved treasure of Grimmjow Jaegerjaques… not even the gods."

"Why didn't you tell me this!" she hisses.

The blonde shrugs, still lost in thought while his wife scrubs down Ichigo. The orange haired male just sighs, relaxing beneath the familiar touch of his mother. He spent the most time with her, the violet haired woman with dark skin practically living in his shadow as he grew up. He always knew she was there, watching over him like a hawk, no matter where he went or who he was with.

"You have the talent to learn far more than the Shihoin clan's teachings," she says fondly. "You have so much potential. When you get finished here, ask your husband to allow you access to the tower for books to read. Kisuke will give you some spell books, read them and learn everything you can from them."

"Why?"

"Just trust us; magic is what the Hogyoku was born of. If it's chosen you as its wielder, it can sense the same potential in you that we have."

Ichigo relents, sinking deeper into the hot water as his bath is finished up. His mother dresses him in some leather slacks and a ruffled blouse, both his parents turning into cats once more. Kisuke runs off to the tower once the door is opened, yet Yorouchi stays with Ichigo. She sits upon his shoulders protectively, watching as she always has.

* * *

I don't think I use their feline forms often... or anymore, really... but I didn't know how else to keep Grimmjwo from finding them out. That, and I think Yorouchi's black cat form is so cute =3 I haven't been writing the last couple days, I've been working on some evee dolls and a few pokemon eggs for my cosplay outfit. I'll have to take a long time out from writing to work on that once I get the material. I've also been playing this awesome game, which I HIGHLY recommend for you mystery lovers out there. It's called 'Agatha Christie-Murder on the Orient Express'. I have two of her games, you can usually get them at Staples for around $5... at least, that's where I got them. Another game I got there that you'd absolutely love is called 'Still Life'. I had it, but my sister-in-law borrowed it and I never saw it again =( When my parents got divorced, two of my brothers (step, they were my dad's kids) stopped talking to my mom and me.

Shiro: Ya don' need 'em!

Vae: ... But I want my game back T^T

Ichi: It couldn't have been that great. *waves off*

Grimm: What the hell are you talking about? You got up close pics to examine dead bodies AND you got to solve two different murder cases! How is that not great?

Vae: MY GAME! ToT

Ichi & Shiro: *glare at Grimmjow pointedly*

Grimm: ... Right... well... it really wasn't that great ^^;


	6. Chapter 6

Countdown: **9**

I've yet to hear back from nintendo *sighs* Which means I've yet to connect my DS to wifi. It's so freaking annoying. How am I supposed to 'catch 'em all' when I can't trade? Stupid pokemon game =( By the way, do any of you play? I'm having a seriously difficult time beating the Elite Four, any tips? Aside from that, I've yet to start my next request, I'm so sorry Darkdolly T^T I'll get to it, I promise. I just wanted to write my new idea down and finish 'Born to the Shadows'. I thought maybe I'd go through and figure out which one is closer to getting done and finish that up really quick... but I don't know which one that is ^^; I'll look ;p

Shiro: Wow! 8 requests, 7 originals, an' 2 books... How do ya do it? 00

Vae: ... I don't T^T

Grimm: Yeah, she's stalling for most of them ;p

Ichi: That's not nice, Grimm. She's trying her hardest. She hasn't even worked on her books for over two weeks.

Grimm: See? The fics are just excuses. =3

Vae: *hangs head*

* * *

Chapter 6

Ichigo growls in irritation, his search for Grimmjow ending at the front door. The guards won't allow him outside, however Grimmjow is walking the village to survey his new conquest. The orange haired male backtracks to the kitchen, looking around carefully to make sure no one is there. There's a guard outside the door, but only one. Ichigo smirks and pushes a chair noisily to a shelf, grabbing a broom and smacking the object hard. They clatter to the ground and Ichigo drops, making it seem as though he's been injured by the falling objects. The guard rushes in, panicking at the sight of Grimmjow's queen lying on the ground.

"My queen! Are you injured? Are you okay? Please say something," he states as he leans down to help Ichigo up.

"I… I'm fine," Ichigo comments. "Thank you so much, I'm so sorry I worried you. I just needed to catch you off guard."

The man gives Ichigo a quizzical look, gasping when the youth takes a heavy pan to his head. The guard is knocked out and Ichigo quickly exits the castle, running toward the village houses nearby to take cover. He almost feels bad for terrorizing Grimmjow's men… and then he recalls the horrid burning sensation of the brand. The asshole is asking for it.

Grimmjow is just leaving the bakery, having seen some delicious looking palm sized pies. Ichigo has been rather quiet today and he's feeling a bit generous, so he bought a few for the fiery orange head. When he looks up, he almost drops the baked goods in surprise. Ichigo is standing right before him with a black cat on his shoulders, arms across his chest and a miffed expression on his face.

"There you are!" he states. "I've been looking all over for you! The one time I actually want to speak with you and you're outside where I'm not allowed to go, go figure."

"… How the hell did you get out?" Grimmjow asks in confusion.

"Not important… hey, what's that?" Ichigo grins at the sight of the pie. "Can I have one? No, wait… I wanted to ask you something. I want to go to the tower to get some books from my dad, but he told me I have to ask you first. Not sure why, but whatever."

Grimmjow chuckles and hands the pies over to Ichigo, shocked in himself that he'd want to indulge this bad behavior. The reason is likely the fact Ichigo could've bolted anytime he wanted, yet chose to stay with the volatile god. He rests an arm around Ichigo's waist, leading him back to the palace as he munches on the pie. Ichigo offers him one without thinking about it; however Grimmjow passes so his treasure can have the lot.

"Okay, who's the jackass that let my queen run amok in the village?" he asks when they get inside.

Ichigo looks up at those staring in shock, a bit of jam from the pie on his cheek. Grimmjow licks it off, drawing a blush from the other. Ichigo stomps on his foot, choosing to spare the remaining pies so he can eat them later. Hallibel is the first to step up, stammering a moment before gathering her thoughts.

"I am so sorry, Grimmjow," she says. "All the exits were guarded, there's no way he should've been able to get out."

Ichigo scoffs and rolls his eyes, nibbling on another pie as the black cat jumps to the floor. Yorouchi skitters off toward the tower to see Kisuke, leaving Ichigo to deal with those around him. The scoff doesn't go unnoticed by Grimmjow, a smirk twitching on his lips at the sound. It's obvious there's no keeping Ichigo locked up. He's not sure why, but something about his queen just isn't the conventional submissive located within this realm. He sighs and leads Ichigo to his room.

"I'll allow you to get your books," Grimmjow decides. "And you're allowed to walk around outside as long as Hallibel accompanies you. One time is all it takes… you try to run off one time…"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it," Ichigo waves off.

"Get ready, the king and prince should be here soon. Wear something nice, I want to flaunt my newest treasure."

Ichigo opens his mouth to protest, yet the door is slammed shut before he has the chance. Setting the box of little pies aside, Ichigo heads to his closet. He grabs some black stockings and a long blue skirt, turning to pick up the scissors from a nearby basket, and gets to work on them. The long skirt is sheered to right above Ichigo's knees, the bottom uneven and tattered, and the stockings have holes and tears all over. Ichigo grabs a white off the shoulder top with puffy sleeves, making short work of the puffs on the sleeves. Once he's dressed that far, he peeks outside the room and creeps over to Shiro's. Ichigo borrows a long black jacket from his twin's closet and a pair of tall riding boots. Satisfied with his attempt at rebellion, Ichigo holds his head high and marches downstairs.

"I demand to know where my son is!" Isshin shouts from the doorway. "And release the prince this minute! Who do you think you are..?"

"I think I'm the one that conquered your little village," Grimmjow comments.

The direction his voice is coming from, Ichigo can only assume he just stepped into the area from the throne room. Shiro is pinned on the ground near Isshin, struggling in fury at the possibility his brother is in trouble. Three guards are holding him, barely managing to keep him subdued. Grimmjow strolls into the foyer, Ichigo heading for the stairway as he listens.

"And the location and health of my wife is now my concern, not yours."

"Wife?" the king gasps. "What have you done to my son?"

"My treasure is fine, I assure you. He's a little high maintenance, but he's nothing I can't handle."

Ichigo growls at the 'high maintenance' remark, grabbing an abandoned helmet and throwing it at the other. Grimmjow turns just in time to duck, searching for the culprit with bloodlust in his eyes. When he sees it's Ichigo, however, humor replaces the anger. Ichigo stomps down the steps, standing near Grimmjow… and refusing to allow the other to touch.

"I'm mad at you," Ichigo states. "I am not high maintenance; your people just aren't at my level."

"Ichi!" Shiro calls out. "Are ya hurt? He didn' force ya ta lay down fer 'im did he? I'll fuckin' murder 'im!"

"Calm down, Shiro, I'm fine," Ichigo sighs. "And for the record, I got in quite a few good hits! I didn't go down without a fight!"

Shiro finally shakes the men holding him, standing to face off with his twin. Ichigo and Shiro have matching scowls as they glare at one another, both challenging and neither giving ground. They're nose to nose, Grimmjow growling quietly at the distance between the two. He doesn't want anyone that close to his newest treasure except himself.

"I told ya not ta fight! Ya should a ran!"

"I… _do not_… run!"

"Look how well that turned out fer ya!" Shiro shouts. "Why didn' Kisuke stop all this shit? He could a, ya know!"

"Back the fuck off! I'm not hurt, everyone is fine, the village is safe, and you weren't killed on sight!" Ichigo yells in frustration. "If you didn't want this to happen, maybe you shouldn't have left me here by myself! You know I'm not gonna put myself above the villagers, I'm no fucking princess!"

"Yes ya are!"

The argument grows heated as their voices raise, repeating the same lines. Finally, Shiro's temper gets the better of him and he grabs for Ichigo's upper arm. His fist pulls back, ready to knock some sense into his infuriating twin. Grimmjow grabs the two, throwing Shiro back harshly to land on the cold floor. Ichigo is carefully backed up to stand behind Grimmjow, the warrior growling furiously at Shiro.

"_Never_… touch him… again," he snarls out.

Shiro stands, ready to beat the shit out of Grimmjow for separating himself and his twin. Ichigo moves forward quickly, punching Shiro for even thinking he could hit the younger copy.

"What the hell was that fer?" Shiro snaps.

"You tried to hit me first!" Ichigo accuses.

"Enough!" Grimmjow hisses. "Nnoitra, take the king and the prince to the throne room. I'll join you in a moment to hash things out; I'm going to take my wife back to his room."

"Yer not goin' anywhere wit my baby brother!"

Ichigo gasps as a powerful force slams into everyone present; the orange head shocked to realize it's coming from Grimmjow. The man is radiating power enough to affect gravity, forcing the prince and the king to their knees. Ichigo looks around, realizing pretty much everyone is affected by the man's outburst… but himself. The orange head stands perfectly still, the force of Grimmjow's power causing nothing more than a tingle along his skin.

"Ichigo is my queen," Grimmjow growls in a purely feline fashion. "He's the treasure I've chosen from this conquest. He… belongs… to me! I let you live, I leave you to rule your fucking kingdom, and everyone has been treated much better than those of other conquered kingdoms. My queen is what allows all this, but I _will_ kill you if you try to take him from me."

"Grimmjow, I'm not going anywhere," Ichigo frowns. "I'm nothing if not loyal. Besides, I still have my entire life to fuck yours up. I'm not missing that."

Grimmjow scoffs at the comment, draping an arm around his wife's shoulders. With a final glare at the prince, he leads Ichigo back up to his room. Ichigo stops at the top of the stairs, looking to Grimmjow a moment before heading to the tower. Confused as to the other's direction, Grimmjow follows him impatiently.

"I didn't get a chance to get my books," Ichigo explains at the look. "Besides, I don't want to be stuck in my room all the time. It's boring."

Grimmjow grunts in agreement, eyeing Ichigo's backside as he climbs the tower stairs ahead of him. The door is hard to open, Ichigo finding a whole stack of books leaning against it along with the bookcase. Kisuke is reading nearby, Yorouchi pacing as she rants in fury.

"Mom? Dad?" Ichigo calls. "I need in, open the fucking door!"

"Berry Pie!" Yorouchi calls happily. "Hang on, momma's coming!"

Grimmjow laughs as Ichigo blushes, the orange head kicking backward and missing the other. When the door is pulled open, Ichigo is immediately yanked into a bear hug. Grimmjow catches the door before Yorouchi kicks it shut, the violet haired woman pulling her son into the room. Kisuke gasps when Grimmjow steps in.

"Uh… what can I do for you?"

"Just here to make sure Ichigo gets back to his room," Grimmjow waves off. "Of course, I doubt that'll keep him from getting out… he seems very adept at getting out of tightly guarded places."

Yorouchi beams at the statement, hugging Ichigo tighter as he fights to breath. Kisuke, knowing Ichigo's here for the spell books, grabs three of them. Two are large and thin, bound in black leather with curvy gold writing on the cover. The last is smaller and thick, bound with tan leather. Between them, they'll teach Ichigo everything he needs to know about magic and basic spells.

"Here you go, Berry Pie," he smiles. "Happy reading."

"Thank you," Ichigo smiles as he slides them into his satchel.

He hasn't let go of his bag since he got there, leaving it on his bedside table at night and carrying it during the day. Once they're safely tucked away, he hugs his parents and returns to Grimmjow. The larger male says nothing more as he leads Ichigo away, the orange head looking back only a moment before his parents prompt him on. Grimmjow says nothing for a long time, waiting until they're alone within the bedroom.

"I'm not even going to ask why you wanted to read spell books," he says. "But I'll warn you right now… we will talk about this later and I want the fucking truth. No one is this okay with sacrificing their only child to a warrior that's just conquered the kingdom, not even if they aren't their child by blood."

"Okay," Ichigo sighs. "We'll talk tonight, I promise."

Grimmjow hums to himself, backing away from the other and shutting the door quietly. Ichigo sighs and lies down on the bed to read for a bit. He's worried about his twin, as Shiro's already proven to have a short fuse and has gotten on Grimmjow's bad side quickly, however he trusts his husband to keep his word. As much as Grimmjow might want to kill Shiro, he won't do so for anything less than Shiro hurting Ichigo.

Ichigo spends a long time reading, eventually falling asleep on his stomach with his face in the pages. Grimmjow finds him like this, the warrior smiling to himself as he carefully slides the book from beneath Ichigo's head. The orange headed male grumbles in his sleep, his husband lifting him up to right him on the bed. That's about when Ichigo wakes, the movement startling him.

"Wh-what are you..?"

"Sorry, I was just putting you to bed," Grimmjow smirks as he sets the other down. "Now that you're awake, though… Everything has been taken care of with your father and brother; we can leave any time we want. I was thinking of heading home in a day or two. We can talk in the morning. Right now… your brother is as exhausting as you are."

"Wow… I almost feel bad for you," Ichigo comments. "Almost. You still deserve it."

Grimmjow sheds his clothes, sitting on the bed and looking pointedly at Ichigo. The orange head is still in his clothes, said outfit not being comfortable enough to sleep in. Ichigo sends Grimmjow a wary and almost pleading look, the other answering with a feral grin as he lies back on the bed. His arms are behind his head, pillowing it so he can watch Ichigo. With a bright blush, the orange head pulls out a night shirt and changes in front of Grimmjow. The warrior is all smiles as he watches, taking in the sight of his wife's tan skin and lithe muscle. Once finished, a mortified Ichigo lies down on his side of the bed. He keeps his back to Grimmjow, planning on ignoring him all night. Grimmjow has other plans, though, and pulls Ichigo close to him after turning off the lamp beside the bed. The moon outside is bright, pooling through the window as Ichigo waits for sleep. Surprisingly, he feels safe within the arms of the warrior. For the first time since he arrived in this crazy place, Ichigo feels calm and relaxed despite his situation. He sighs and closes his eyes to sleep, hoping things stay relatively quiet.

* * *

There we go! I hope you all liked it. I'm sorry the last chapter ended so quickly, but I'm pretty set on the pages rule for my fics ^^; By the way, depending on whether or not I'll have a second one-shot, I may have to push Darkdolly's fic back one more. I can write a one-shot in a day, but the chapter fics will take longer =) I also need to know if those that requested a chapter want me to update by chapter, or once it's completely finished.

Shiro: Make 'em wait!

Ichi: That's not nice, Shiro =(

Shiro: When have I ever been nice? =p

Ichi: ... Good point.


	7. Chapter 7

Countdown: **8**

I hope you're all eager for the explanation and Grimm's reaction =) I do believe this is the chapter that has it =D For those eager to get their requests, I apologize. I REALLY need to work on my book, but I promise to at least work on 'Asylum of the Damned' as well. I will get to your requests, but I seriously need to get some work done as well. Just know, I've written them all down and I have a list =) I'll get to them.

Shiro: Sure ya will ;p

Vae: *punches Shiro on the head without looking* =)

Shiro: 'Least ya don' hit as hard as Ichi or Grimm. *pout*

Vae: Ichi! Grimm! I need a favor! =D

Shiro: NOOOOOO! DX

Ichi & Grimm: *both punch Shiro*

Vae: Thank you! XD

Shiro: *unconscious on the floor*

* * *

Chapter 7

Ichigo wakes early the next morning, so early Grimmjow is still snoozing beside him. He tries to get up, however the arms around his middle tighten. Grimmjow hums in his sleep, burying his nose in orange locks with an unintelligible mumble. Ichigo stops struggling, knowing he won't get loose anyway, and reaches for the book on the table by his side of the bed. The book is enthralling, the spells so base they hardly need words, and Ichigo managed to soak up almost a whole chapter on elements before he fell asleep. He dozed off before getting through water and didn't even touch fire yet. There's a quiet knock on Ichigo's door, too soft to wake Grimmjow and just loud enough to catch Ichigo's attention. Shiro peeks in.

"Are ya 'kay?" he wonders.

"Yes. What are you doing?"

"Just checkin' on ya. I couldn' sleep all night, I kept waitin' ta hear ya scream er somethin'. Ya sure he didn' hurt ya?"

"Shiro, if the guards or Grimmjow catch you here you'll be in serious trouble," Ichigo hisses. "I'll talk to you later, but right now you need to stay out of trouble."

Shiro sighs and moves to retreat, yet lingers a moment longer. It's obvious there's something on his mind, a question he wants to ask. Ichigo waits patiently for him to say something, keeping part of his attention on Grimmjow. He doesn't want the other to wake before Shiro leaves, however Grimmjow's breathing indicates he's far from rousing.

"Do ya really wanna be wit 'im?" Shiro finally gets out.

"Shiro… I'm mad he forced me to marry him. He's an arrogant asshole and I want nothing more than to make him suffer for the rest of forever! But… He's been good to me," Ichigo answers with a soft smile. "He hasn't hurt me aside from our first fight and the branding, he makes sure I'm taken care of even if he irritates the fuck out of me, and I… I feel safe with him. I know it sounds stupid and I can't believe my mind would betray me like that, but… I honestly feel safe when I'm with him. I may not have wanted to be with him, however if the circumstances were different I think we would've ended up like this anyway."

"… Ya like 'im."

"A little bit… for now," Ichigo smirks. "Don't let him know that, though, I don't want him getting soft on me. I have a lot more wrath to take out on him yet."

Shiro grins at the statement, nodding as he shuts the door. Ichigo goes back to his book, unaware of the grin on Grimmjow's lips behind him. The blue haired warrior holds Ichigo more tightly, breathing in his scent and nuzzling the back of his neck. He refrains from the kiss he wants to set there, only because he doesn't want Ichigo to push him away further.

"Are you awake, Grimmjow?" Ichigo questions.

"Mm… Getting there."

"I want to spend time with my brother today," the smaller male says. "I don't know what you're planning on doing today but…"

Ichigo stops when Grimmjow sits up, the blanket pooling around his hips. Ichigo knows he's nude beneath that sheet, so he forces his amber eyes to Grimmjow's cyan pools. The pupil is long like a cat's, the color iridescent, and Ichigo is immediately drawn to them. The warrior stretches in a feline fashion, reaching a hand out to caress Ichigo's cheek.

"You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in all the kingdoms I've conquered," he breathes out enthralled. "By far the greatest treasure I've found yet."

"… Please don't talk like that," Ichigo blushes. "It not only embarrasses me, it annoys me. You make me sound like a simple object."

"I don't mean to, I just think you're as pretty as the jewels and treasures I found. Speaking of which… you aren't all you seem, I'm sure. You could've run away at any time, even managed to sneak out of the kingdom, and yet you sought me out. Why?"

Ichigo sighs and sits up as well, setting the book aside to look at his husband. The way Kisuke had gone on about the Hogyoku, Ichigo can easily ascertain that it's extremely important. He's a little iffy about entrusting this secret with Grimmjow, the other might use it to his advantage, but the orange head needs to trust his husband. This will be Grimmjow's first test.

"Do you know what the Hogyoku is?" Ichigo wonders quietly.

"Yeah, it's some trinket made by the gods," Grimmjow shrugs off. "It's supposed to be some all-powerful jewel or some shit like that. From the first day it was created, no one could tap into its power until it chose them… not even the gods that created it. It disappeared centuries ago. Why?"

"The Hogyoku is the key between this world and other dimensions," Ichigo sighs. "My parents used it to take me into one of those other worlds and raise me. I have no clue what this place is, who to trust, where I could go… I wasn't raised here.

I returned only a couple days ago, the Hogyoku had gone with us. It took my parents back here, but they dropped it and couldn't come back for me. When I found it, it brought me here and I managed to hold on. It chose me after that. My dad said he allowed the wedding, because I was safest with you."

Ichigo plays with the choker around his neck, Grimmjow finally noticing the key that lies atop his collar bone. His eyes are wide with shock, his mouth slightly open as Grimmjow reaches to touch the lost key. Its pull is overwhelming; however the disappointment in amber eyes is enough to cut it off. It's apparent to Grimmjow that Ichigo told him in order to see how he would react.

"That's why you're reading spell books," Grimmjow murmurs. "To use the jewel."

"Yes, mom and dad told me I should learn how to use it. I don't know why, but apparently it's very important and people will try to take it from me."

"Not likely. The Hogyoku is a curse as much as it is a gift," the warrior waves off. "The one that wears it is indestructible and all-powerful, but those around them frequently fall to greed. They end up living a life of loneliness if they aren't protected by one that doesn't want the Hogyoku… and there aren't many that don't want it."

Ichigo's features fall, all hope of not being used washed down the drain. It's noticed by Grimmjow, who immediately realizes his mistake. It's not that he wants the jewel, he's powerful enough without it and never appreciated taking such short cuts, but he wanted to tell Ichigo the truth. That jewel will likely place him in great danger.

"Do you want it?" Ichigo asks quietly.

"Of course not, I wanted you," Grimmjow assures. "That key is a cheat; I don't like to cheat when I battle. Your dad was right, though… you're safest with me. I'm a full god, that's very rare for the purebred children of gods to survive here with the mortals. They're normally hunted down and killed. My mother knew enough to leave me with her jaguars rather than a mortal family."

The surprise Ichigo feels at that is obvious, his eyes growing larger as he tries to soak everything up. Isshin told him that gods had a rule against favoring children, that's why his mother couldn't stay. Why, then, couldn't Grimmjow's parents care for him if he's a purebred?

"I thought they just couldn't raise their demi-god children."

"No, it goes for all their kids. The worlds can't keep track of so many gods, not enough talents to go around, and the balance needs to be kept somehow… only the strongest survive. I like being around you, it's like standing in the presence of another god. I felt it the moment we first fought."

"Apparently, my mother was a goddess," Ichigo blushes. "She was Aphrodite."

"That certainly explains a lot," Grimmjow grins feral. "Now I know why you're so gorgeous! You don't have to worry about a thing; there isn't a god or mortal alive that would dare to challenge me. Unlike my mother and father, I'm not limited to punishing mortals… I can turn my wrath on the gods as well. That's the good thing about being their child and not one of them."

Ichigo brightens at this, glad to have a husband that won't abuse the power Ichigo holds. He gives in to the urge he feels, leaning forward and hugging the surprised warrior tightly. For a moment, Grimmjow is too stunned to move. Once he's shaken the feeling, however, he wraps his arms around Ichigo and holds him close. He isn't used to having such willing intimacy from a submissive, well… not unless they were throwing themselves at him. It sends warmth through him that Grimmjow knows can become addicting.

"You can go out with your brother today," he decides. "Hallibel will go with you, however, and I don't want you going outside the village. As I said before, that key will put you in danger. Mortals on hard times will want to steal it, so I suggest you wear something to cover it. As long as people can't see it, they won't know you have it. Don't tell anyone else."

"Okay, I promise I won't."

Ichigo goes to move away, yet Grimmjow stops him. There's an expectant look in his eyes, as though he's waiting for something, and Ichigo kind of knows what it is. The warrior wants a kiss. Ichigo is reluctant to allow such a thing, as once he does it'll be expected all the time. When Grimmjow tugs the front of his shirt to draw their faces closer, Ichigo quickly shifts so he can kiss the other's cheek instead.

"… Well… it's a start, I suppose," Grimmjow sighs in disappointment.

Ichigo smiles, getting out of bed now that he's been released. He grabs one of his typical pants outfits he's been wearing, hoping to sneak into Shiro's room to borrow stuff from him, and heads to bathe. He doesn't notice Grimmjow following him until he's halfway down the hall. Once he does, he stops and stares at the other.

"Uh… what are you doing?" he asks.

"Nelliel told me you aren't allowing her to bathe you," Grimmjow comments. "I figured since you don't want a girl touching you… I'll do it for her. After all, if you're left alone in the bath that's ample opportunity to drown yourself. I just don't want to take that chance."

Ichigo scowls at the other, burning amber telling Grimmjow he's crossed the line. At the unflinching stare, Ichigo relents. Not to Grimmjow joining him, however. As he heads into the bathroom, he grabs Nelliel's wrist and pulls her in. The door slams behind them to show his ire, Grimmjow grinning widely at his triumph.

"You know, he isn't really that bad," Nelliel offers. "I've known him since I was very little; he saved me from some mortals. I'm the daughter of the Irish goddess Caireen, my mortal father didn't take to parenthood well… he wanted to mess around more than take care of me. I was a gift to him from my mother, but I was a gift he didn't want."

"That's horrible."

"Grimmjow's main group is mostly children of the gods. He draws the more powerful ones to him and we find safety in numbers. Since he's the strongest, being purebred and all, Grimmjow is our king. We would never do anything to betray him, not after he gave us all a place to belong."

"… He seems like a nice guy when he's not going out of his way to make me mad."

"He really likes you. He's never been so enthralled with someone like he is you; you really bring out the best in him."

Ichigo listens to Nell ramble on a little longer, telling him all about those that follow Grimmjow. Apparently, his entourage is very diverse. Hallibel is the daughter of Ares's wife, Otrera, the goddess of violence, chaos and the mother of the Amazons. It's likely where she got her Amazonian looks, though her monotonous façade belies the violence and chaos she's capable of. Her green haired 'sister', Sun-Sun, is the child of Nodens. He's the Celtic god of healing, the sea, hunting and dogs. It's easy to see it in her, as she seems much more caring and kind than the others… with the mischief of the sea. Apache belongs to Cernunnos, the Celtic god of fertility and hunting. Mila Rose was born of the Egyptian goddess Bast, Nelliel thinks her blood has lion within it which isn't reassuring for Ichigo. He can see why the females are probably best avoided if possible… he'll likely never sneak past them like he does the other guards.

As for the men… Ichigo is glad Grimmjow would rather they stay away from him. Ulquiorra is a child of Hades, one the orangette is happy to steer clear of. Szayel belongs to the Roman water nymph Egeria, who passed down her ability of prophesy aside from her knowledge. Ichigo can see it, the guy looks so elven he's as much female as Ichigo is. Stark may be the child of Circe, known as the 'She Falcon' within Greece, but he attracts far more coyotes than falcons. Nell has decided long ago she passed on her precognitive dreams to him, as he's constantly sleeping and can relate eerie dreams that usually happen. She also tells Ichigo she suspects he's a pure god as well, thinking his talent with the coyotes comes from Pan, the god of wild animals. The spy Grimmjow has such faith in, is called Gin. Ichigo hasn't had the fortune to meet him yet. He's the son of Loki and apparently quite a mischievous man, always in some form of trouble or slyly talking people into doing what he wants. Nnoitra is the last of the group, the child of Anubis and eerie enough to have Ichigo heading in the other direction.

After his bath, Ichigo hightails it downstairs in order to locate his twin. Nelliel unwittingly let slip stories that sent chills through the orange head. They may have seemed like nothing to her, but Ichigo wasn't raised here… and when a guy can release a cloud of black mist that sucks the souls from his opponents, that's just fucking scary. When he finds Shiro, the prince is constantly looking over his shoulder.

"What's up?" Ichigo asks.

"Someone's been followin' me since I got 'ere," Shiro growls before double-talking Ichigo's outfit. "What the fuck 'er ya wearin'?"

Ichigo tore up another skirt, but this time it's on over a pair of riding pants and the tears are holes scattered across the material. The shirt is oversized and borrowed from Shiro's closet, left untucked with the top couple buttons undone. Ichigo looks his outfit over quizzically.

"What do you mean? I think it looks fine."

"Ya look like a fuckin' peasant that hit it big," Shiro scoffs.

Ichigo glowers at him, mumbling a 'whatever' as he walks past Shiro. Shockingly, Hallibel doesn't follow them. That tells Ichigo Grimmjow trusts his wellbeing to whoever has been tagging along behind Shiro. Ichigo looks behind them in order to see who it might be, yet he can't see anyone. With a light shrug, he reaches back to pull Shiro with him. He wants to stay outside as long as possible today; Ichigo is just tired of being locked up in that damn room.

* * *

Lmao! You guys are gonna love the next chapter if you're loving Ichigo's mischievous side ;p That's all the spoiler you get. Mainly because I can't remember 100% if it's in the next update or the one after ^^; I don't want to give any more than that away just in case. I also hope rereading these before posting helps with the grammer and spelling, I've been editing them before posting =) Anyway, I'm off to work on my books! I couldn't finish the outlines, so I'm writing until I run out of outline... then I have to finish them T^T

Shiro: Wow, ya can' even finish a stupid outline? An' ya call yerself an author *scoffs*

Vae: I know! I'm a horrible author! ToT

Ichi: You are not, Shiro's just being an ass!

Grimm: Yeah, you're just chosing to listen to him.

Ichi: Grimmjow, that's not helping! DX

Grimm: Come on, look how many reviews she gets. Even the random PMs from readers that enjoy her fics! And she listens to him... why?

Vae: Fics are different! They don't need an outline!

Shiro: Then why write 'em ta begin wit? =p

Ichi: *sighs and punches Shiro again* If we keep this up, he'll be more brain damaged than we can handle.

Grimm: ... You mean he isn't already? Damn, if I would've known that I wouldn't have gone so easy on him. =(


	8. Chapter 8

Countdown: **7**

GAH! I FREAKING HATE THESE STUPID OLD SHOWS! DX I know Bill Cosby is funny, but that's the last thing I want to watch when I'm trying to write! Is it so much to ask for a little quiet so I can be distracted by nothing but my music? I'd go into my room or something, but then gma will complain... more. Anyway, I hope you're all ready for Ichi to get into more trouble! =D Like he's going to stay out of trouble for an entire chapter ;p I'm gonna have to say that he's probably the biggest troublemaker in this entire fic.

Ichi: I know! It's fucking great! For once I'M the troublemaker! XD

Shiro: ... But... but... but... That's my job ToT

Grimm: I think I prefer Shiro pissing me off, i can kick his ass without much consequence. =(

Shiro: What about Ichi? Ya can kick his ass, too. D=

Grimm: Yeah, but... he'll refuse to give me sex. T^T

Ichi: Damn right! Don't you ever forget that! *smug smile*

* * *

Chapter 8

Ichigo's first stop is the bakery, the orange head hooked on the delicious tarts and pies they make. Shiro doesn't understand why the other can't just eat the stuff made in the castle, he's never bothered to buy from the peasants before, but he indulges his baby twin. After that, Ichigo is taken to a pond on the outskirts of the town. As they head that way, they begin to get further from the palace and Ichigo becomes wary. His steps slow, amber eyes continuously darting between Shiro and the palace.

"Shiro… how much further are we going?" he asks quietly. "Grimmjow said I'm not supposed to leave the town gates."

"Come on, don' let that guy push ya 'round!"

"Normally I wouldn't hesitate to do the complete opposite of what he says," Ichigo mutters. "But I really want to keep going outside. If I have to stay in that room for one more day, I'm likely to attempt murdering him in his sleep. I'd really rather not do that, so for right now we shouldn't give him reason to tempt me."

"We ain't goin' outside the town's gates, just over there… past those trees. There's a pond there I wanna fish at taday, I think ya'll like it."

"… I guess that'll be okay."

The twins reach the pond and Ichigo grins at the sight, sitting on a small dock where a rowboat is hitched. He pulls off his boots, rolling up the bottoms of his pants, and slips his feet into the cool water. Shiro pulls a couple fishing rods from a hollow tree trunk, tossing one to Ichigo and sitting beside him. As they wait for the first bite, they're both surprised at how complete they feel now that they're together.

"I missed ya, ya know?" Shiro murmurs. "I used ta sit here all day when I was younger; waitin' fer ya ta come back. This is where ya disappeared wit Kisuke and Yorouchi… right here on this dock. I always knew ya would come back."

"It's strange… I feel so much better here than I did in that other world. I may have been raised there, yet I never felt as though I belonged. There was always a missing piece of me. I just never knew it was you."

Shiro grins at that, holding the fishing pole in one hand so he can hug Ichigo with the freed arm. His wrist is grabbed before he manages to touch the orangette, both twins jumping startled as they turn to face their tail. Gin, a silver haired man with foxish eyes, holds Shiro carefully. His hair is a bit shaggy, those eyes always closed as he smiles, and for some reason… Ichigo can see Loki's mischief in that face.

"No touchin'," he says teasingly. "Don' want ya getting' in trouble wit Grimm-kitty."

"He's my brother," Ichigo sighs in exasperation.

"He's a guy. Grimm-kitty was very clear 'bout not wantin' ya touched by any other guy. 'Sides, I ain't takin' chances… I'm gonna marry 'im someday!"

Both twins react the same to the statement at first; wide eyes and dropped jaws. Ichigo, however, starts laughing only seconds later as Shiro yells at him. Gin isn't moved one bit by the two, still smiling widely as he sits behind the two.

"It ain't funny, damn it!" Shiro snaps.

"Yes it is!" Ichigo snickers with tears in his eyes. "Be good to him, Shiro. He seems like the type to get what he wants!"

"Shut the fuck up! It ain't happenin'!"

Gin stays close to Shiro after the attempted hug, unwilling to allow the other to garner Grimmjow's wrath. Once a treasure is taken by Grimmjow, it usually sits within an underground vault beneath his palace. No one is allowed within that room except Grimmjow and his closest friends. Out of them, no one is allowed to touch the treasures save for Grimmjow and Nelliel… she keeps them clean and sparkling, too innocent to fall to greed. Ichigo is different, though. Apparently, it's impossible to keep him locked up. That being discovered, he'll have to have a guard around him at all times when Grimmjow isn't present. Gin is that guard when it isn't Hallibel, their job being to make certain _no one_ touches the new treasure.

Grimmjow is going crazy with boredom, his little firecracker having been gone all through lunch. He's worried Ichigo didn't eat today, the godling heading out to track down his wife. The only solace he has, is the fact Gin is watching over his wife. The silver haired man will take care of Ichigo. Last he heard, Shiro was planning on taking Ichigo fishing. He heads to the pond Isshin told him about earlier when he inquired. Upon arriving at the pond, however, all hope of Ichigo's ensured safety is gone. Gin is tied up and hanging from a tree.

"What the… how did you… where's… GIN!" Grimmjow sputters.

"Sorry, Grimm-kitty," the silver haired man blushes. "Yer wife's a lil more cunnin' than I gave 'im credit fer."

"Where is he!"

"I'm right here," Ichigo comments.

Grimmjow whirls around, catching sight of Ichigo standing right behind him with Shiro. Shiro has a bucket of bait and Ichigo has a basket of food and drink, both twins confused as to why Grimmjow is there. Shiro has to grab the basket quickly when Ichigo is pulled toward the warrior, the orange head gasping when he's enveloped in a bone crushing hug. At the sound of Ichigo's pained whimper, Grimmjow loosens his hold enough to be comfortable.

"What did I tell you about leaving the palace without a guard!" Grimmjow shouts. "You could've been hurt! What the hell were you thinking!"

"I only left for a couple minutes," Ichigo remarks innocently. "We needed more bait and I was getting hungry. Gin should've kept his hands to himself and I wouldn't have tied him up. Besides, what kind of idiot falls for 'the fish is too strong can you reel it in for me'? He was just asking for me to tie him up with the fishing line."

"He touched you! Damn it, Gin! I trusted you..!"

"I did not!"

"He was too busy tryin' ta molest _me_," Shiro scoffs. "How the fuck is he 'sposed ta take care a my baby brother, if he's too busy tryin' ta get in my pants?"

"… That's a _very_ good question," Grimmjow growls out with a glare Gin's way.

The spy smiles sheepishly, giving his king a nervous chuckle. Grimmjow unsheathes his sword, swiping it harshly at the silver haired man. Gin doesn't even flinch, though he does yelp when the line is cut through. He hits the ground hard, groaning in pain before shaking off the fishing line. He's given a swift boot to the backside by Grimmjow, the warrior beckoning Ichigo to follow him as he leaves. With a sigh of annoyance, the orange headed man does as told. Shiro is obviously pissed at this turn of events; however he stays behind with the spy grudgingly.

"Why can't I stay out longer?" Ichigo complains. "We had food and everything; we even caught a few fish…"

"I was worried about you," Grimmjow snaps. "I trusted you to do as told while outside my sight, how could you betray me!"

"I didn't betray you!" Ichigo yells. "Betraying you would be killing that perverted fucker and running off! Your man lived and I'm still here, stop being such a whiny bitch! That's supposed to be my role!"

Grimmjow moves quickly, backing Ichigo into a tree with a snarl. He's nose to nose with Ichigo, baring far too sharp canines as cyan pools glow in anger. Ichigo doesn't back off, doesn't flinch. He's not afraid of this man, it's his husband. They may fight and get angry with one another, but he trusts Grimmjow not to harm him. Ichigo can see barely restrained rage in those eyes, it makes him nervous and he prays he's right about trusting his husband.

"You make me _so mad_ sometimes," Grimmjow growls out animalistic. "Why can't you just _listen_ when I tell you to do something! It isn't that hard!"

"… You're such a drama king," Ichigo snorts in humor before kissing Grimmjow's nose. "You love it when I don't listen to you, I'm probably the only person in this whole world that won't bend over backward and do flips for you."

Grimmjow stutters in disbelief as Ichigo slips away from him, walking toward the palace as the villagers watch with baited breath. Ichigo looks back at his husband expectantly, the other noticing how Ichigo's covered the Hogyoku choker with a scarf of silk, and then reaches back for Grimmjow's hand.

"Honestly, Grimmjow," Ichigo smirks. "Why do you bother trying? I make you mad; you piss me off… that's marriage. As long as we don't go to bed angry, we'll be fine. You knew from the beginning I wasn't going to listen to you, so why force me to marry you?"

"I'm only worried about your safety; you can at least listen when I give you orders based on that."

"I could… but I probably won't. Not completely anyway. I can take damn good care of myself, in case you hadn't noticed. I let Gin tag along today, but he really was out of line jumping my twin like that. If he can't put his libido on hold, I'll stick with Hallibel… even though she scares the shit out of me."

Grimmjow laughs at that, wrapping an arm around Ichigo's waist as they head to the palace. The villagers breathe a collective sigh of relief, going about their day now that Grimmjow's rage has been stilled. From what they've heard of the other, that's never happened. Once he gets into such a rage, he destroys everything and everyone in his path until it calms on its own. It surprises them that Ichigo can nullify it so quickly.

The palace is quiet when they arrive, Grimmjow's few wagons filled with supplies and belongings outside. He and his men don't own a lot, but that which they do own they keep outside the kingdom they attack until it's taken out. Now that they've secured this village, the wagons have been pulled in to keep looters from them.

"Wow, that was fast," Grimmjow muses. "I guess the guys are more than ready to head home."

"What do you mean?"

"They usually take their time packing the wagons, and then we leave once they're done. I guess we've been away from home longer than I thought, we'll be leaving tomorrow morning."

"But… I just got here," Ichigo frowns. "What about my parents?"

Grimmjow sighs and shrugs, opening the front door for his wife. Ichigo refuses to go inside, crossing his arms over his chest and tapping his foot. They stand like that for a long while, long enough for Shiro and Gin to cautiously move past them and enter. Grimmjow becomes more impatient at Ichigo's unwillingness to listen, finally giving up and throwing his hands in the air.

"What the fuck is wrong now?"

"I've been inside for days now," Ichigo complains. "I want to spend today _outside_; can't I just hang out in the garden or something?"

"You can't just say that instead of acting like I should know?"

"Do _you_ want to spend days on end inside all the time?"

"Of course I don't, I… Okay, I see your point," Grimmjow mutters grudgingly. "We'll spend the rest of today in the garden, happy? If I would've known marriage would be this much of a hassle, I would've caged you like a dove to fuck when I was bored."

Grimmjow stops at that a moment, thinking on his comment and grinning broadly. Ichigo immediately knows what picture is going through the other's head, there's no way it can be anything other than the warrior screwing a caged Ichigo with that lecherous smile. He purposely stomps on the other's foot, shoving his elbow into Grimmjow's gut, and heads for the garden. Grimmjow groans at the pain, hurrying after his angered wife.

"If you ever consider bringing that vision to life, I'll remove your pride… indefinitely."

"… My pride?"

Ichigo grabs Grimmjow's package roughly, drawing a second groan of pain much more believable than the first. The look in amber eyes is simply venomous, the first warning his little spouse and treasure is more dangerous than meets the eye. A mean smirk flickers on full lips; the second sign Grimmjow should watch his step. More importantly, he can see the pleading buried beneath all the violence that begs him not to do anything to make Ichigo hurt. It's obvious the other has difficulty trusting outside his family, so he's taking a huge leap going along with Grimmjow. Grimmjow realizes the only thing keeping Ichigo with him, is the order he's likely gotten from his parents to stay. The thought surprisingly hurts almost as much as the hand strangling his favorite limb… almost.

"Oh… that pride," Grimmjow gasps out.

Ichigo releases him; hand on a cocked hip and brow raised challengingly. Grimmjow sighs and pulls the other into him, one hand on the back of an orange head and the other arm around a slim waist. He's not sure how Ichigo can so easily get to him, yet Grimmjow is positive there will never be another that can tame him so easily. He sits on a stone bench within the large garden; however Ichigo lies on the grass in the sunlight. The smile on his face is beautiful, something Grimmjow can't help but admire.

"You're something, you know that?"

"Hmm? What kind of something?" Ichigo inquires with a smirk.

"Something good. I'm not sure what, but… I know it's wonderful. It makes me proud to be married to you, but also… sad," Grimmjow admits in confusion.

"Sad?" the orangette gasps as he sits up. "I don't mean to make you sad."

Grimmjow's eyes enlarge at the sight of worry, not expecting Ichigo to care either way how he felt. Aphrodite isn't exactly known for her caring side, more vain and ill-tempered… Ichigo definitely inherited her ill-tempered nature. He grins at the thought, sliding onto the ground by his spouse. Ichigo doesn't pull away this time when he runs his fingers through orange silk, warming Grimmjow with such a simple act. He may not have intended to fall for the other, but the warrior is sadly losing his grip. Ichigo is as tempting as his mother, though in a different way. Aphrodite mainly invokes a more physical reaction… Ichigo pulls more at the heart strings like Cupid. It's something that the godling will need to get used to, as no one has played with his emotions like Ichigo does. He gazes upon the other, smiling softly to himself before forcing it into a frown. He hates appearing so weak, something else he'll have to get used to.

* * *

Poor Gin... he so deserved it ;p I have to admit, these chapters do seem to go by fast =( I didn't mean to make it that way, I do apologize for it. I've finished the prologue to 'Asylum of the Damned' yesterday, I also finished chapter 1. I don't know if I should wait to post them, or post them as I get it done. I just may do so as I get them done, that way it'll be easier to change the characters and such. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the update. Today is another 'actual work' day, which means I'll be working on my books again. I may attempt to at least write the first chapter to Darkdolly's request, though. I tried to work on them yesterday, but I ended up dress shopping with my future sister-in-law. She found a few wedding dresses that she liked, but we're going again on Wednesday... that's when I'll likely have to play dress up for bridesmaid dresses T^T SAVE ME! DX

Shiro: Ha, ha! =p

Vae: It's so unfair! I hate dressing up! I hate dresses! T^T

Ichi: Awe, it'll be okay. I'm sure it won't be that bad. =)

Vae: ... She's making me dress up in a pink ruffly dress. Two of my least favorite things in the whole world! DX

Ichi: ... It's for a good cause?

Vae: *Hangs head*


	9. Chapter 9

Countdown: **6**

Another update! XD I have to confess, I grew bored with working on one fic at a time ^^; I think I'll be going back to my game after this update. Which means, you'll get to choose the next update from the given list tomorrow! =D Tell me what you think, as I'm not exactly positive on that yet. I mean, I was working down the line aphebetically, but someone PMed me practically begging for 'Jail Bird' to be updated. I'm not even kidding about that, it sounded like begging to me. Not that it didn't give me quite the ego boost ;p

Shiro: That's all ya need.

Ichi: No, Shiro, you're the one we try not to give an ego boost to... any more and your head will explode. Come to think of it... =D

Grimm: We need him, Kitten. That means you're not allowed to make his head explode.

Ichi: *pouts*

Vae: *leans to whisper to Ichi* ... It's okay, Ichi. I would've helped.

Ichi: XD

* * *

Chapter 9

Ichigo is nervous when night falls, the hour of his departure getting so very close by the minute. Grimmjow never told him if his parents would accompany him. He hasn't gotten the chance to speak with either of the two, too busy napping in the garden. Now the orange haired male paces beside his bed in a night shirt, waiting for Grimmjow to join him. The comment of before still plagues Ichigo. He didn't know his actions were making the undefeated warrior sad, he really didn't mean to hurt him like that.

"What's with the face?" Grimmjow asks as he walks in.

Ichigo immediately sets his eyes anywhere but on Grimmjow, knowing by now that the other prefers sleeping in the nude. Although he loves the other's chiseled body, Ichigo has always been shy around nudity. Grimmjow noticed this quickly, making sure to keep a comfortable distance from his spouse until they're beneath the blankets… he'll tease Ichigo about it once they're home.

"… I meant it before," Ichigo murmurs as he climbs in bed. "I really didn't mean to hurt you, to make you sad."

Grimmjow doesn't seem fazed as he turns out the light and lies back, carefully pulling Ichigo against his side. It's a short while of silence until Ichigo receives an answer, the godling taking his time to think about what he wants to say.

"You don't make me sad, per say… just thinking about losing you, or the reason you're still with me…"

"Why am I still with you?" Ichigo asks with a scowl in the dark.

"Because your parents ordered you to stay with me and you need protected."

"Okay, first of all you didn't marry me for love," Ichigo points out as he pulls away. "You married me because you wanted to force me into staying with you, as your newest treasure… not a wife and not a person, but an object."

Grimmjow nods, unable to lie to the other. He did see Ichigo as nothing more than an object. The fiery princess is unlike anything he's ever come across, that's why he wanted him. Like an extremely rare jewel, or the Hogyoku itself, Ichigo is one of a kind… even with a twin. Grimmjow knew possessing Ichigo would draw the envy of many. What he didn't know, is that Ichigo is far more interesting than he first thought.

"Secondly, I can take care of myself. My parents _suggested_ I stay with you, they didn't _order_ me. I choose to stay because you're not completely horrid, you treat me well enough, and I have this curse of loyalty I just can't seem to shake. If you start treating me badly or forcing me to do shit I don't want, I'm fucking gone. That's a promise. If you want to act like every other asshole I've ever dated, I'll treat you like every other asshole I've dated… I'll leave."

"… I won't let you."

Ichigo is looking in cyan orbs when he says this, catching the fear and hurt that flashes in those iridescent pools. The orange head regrets it immediately, running his hand down Grimmjow's hard chest in apology. That night, it's more difficult for Ichigo to get to sleep… the hold his husband has around his waist gives no room for shifting.

Ichigo wakes in the middle of the night, cold sweat covering his limbs and a chill running the length of his spine. His breathing is labored from the nightmare, Grimmjow's hold gone so he can bolt upright. Ichigo's sudden movement stirs Grimmjow, the blue haired man humming half asleep and slowly growing more aware. His back was to Ichigo before, the other now turning and sitting up.

"What's wrong?" he yawns out as he rubs sleep from his eyes. "You okay?"

"I… I had a nightmare," Ichigo whispers out. "I'm fine. It was just a dream, I'm okay."

"What was it about?"

"I… I was in a wagon or something," the orange head muses a bit haunted. "I don't know if it was morning or night. It just seemed to last so long. There were these women on the side of the road, beautiful women in green dresses. Th-they danced with the men… the dance started to get violent, they… they attacked the men… the blood… the blood was everywhere. I couldn't help them… I couldn't move. They were drained and then… then the women turned to me. I screamed! I screamed until my throat hurt, but no one came to help… everyone was gone… I was alone… with them…"

Grimmjow holds Ichigo as he shivers, the screams of the men in his dream still echoing in his head. Ichigo buries his face in Grimmjow's chest, clinging to the man as though his life depends on it.

"Baobhan sith," Grimmjow sighs. "You might have just had your first precognitive dream."

"That wasn't a dream, that was a nightmare!" Ichigo sniffles. "And what… what are those? Baobhan sith?"

Grimmjow knows Ichigo doesn't want him to notice, but the tears against his skin are hard to miss. Ichigo, being a child of a goddess of love, shouldn't be having precognitive dreams. His potential for magic must be far stronger than anyone could've guessed, which means his godly blood is thicker than most and the Hogyoku is controlled more easily than should be.

"They're vampire creatures, an Irish monster," he answers. "They lure men to dance with them and drain their blood through sharp nails… they live along the route we're going to take back to my territory. Normally, they don't bother us. They know better."

"Why would I dream of them?"

"Travelers don't come through my territory when I'm not there," Grimmjow sighs. "I hadn't thought I was gone for so long… they must be very hungry. Hungry enough to stalk my own men. I won't be able to leave for a long while."

It takes a while for Ichigo's shivering to stop; he's never had such a horrific and realistic nightmare before. Once he's calmed, they lay back down and Grimmjow is pleasantly surprised when Ichigo continues to cling to him. He allows it, shifting to lie on his back as Ichigo uses his chest as a pillow. The blue haired warrior waits until Ichigo falls asleep once more, making sure he'll stay that way before giving in to slumber himself.

Grimmjow wakes the next morning, reluctant to leave his sleeping wife alone after last night. His worries, however, pull him from the bed. Stark is waiting for him downstairs, a serious look upon his brow that normally isn't there. This only causes Grimmjow's stomach to do flip-flops.

"What did you dream?"

"Baobhan sith," he murmurs monotonously. "They will attack on the way home… should we take precautions?"

"Warn the men," Grimmjow sighs. "If they're stupid enough to go with them, they deserve to be eaten."

"The princess?"

"Submissive males are immune to their seduction, Ichigo will be fine… I'll make certain of that myself."

Stark nods in understanding, pushing off the wall he leans on and heading out to the wagons. Today they begin their trek home, a journey that will take an entire day if they don't stop. They've been away from Grimmjow's territory for months, just on their way back when the warrior got the urge to visit this small kingdom they've constantly overlooked. He's not sure why the blue haired king decided to stop this time… but he has a feeling it's because he felt the pull of his queen.

Grimmjow still has things to take care of while Ichigo sleeps. The other seemed so upset when he had no answer about his parents, so sad and almost lost. Grimmjow can't leave here without making some sort of arrangement. Isshin is in the throne room pacing, stopping in surprise when he catches sight of Grimmjow. The man moves without a sound, waiting to be noticed as he stands in the doorway.

"Can I help you?" Isshin wonders.

"The alchemist and his wife," Grimmjow starts. "How important are they to you?"

"… You're not going to kill them, are you? Kisuke has been my friend since childhood, I can't allow it! Well… maybe Yorouchi…"

"They are Ichigo's parents… I wanted them to join us. They're free to come and go as they please as long as they don't try to betray me. I don't tolerate betrayal… even from family."

"I don't keep them here by force; they live here because they're family. If they want to leave, I can't tell them no."

Grimmjow nods once, turning abruptly and walking briskly to the tower. On the way, he stops to check on Ichigo. The precognitive dream took a lot out of the smaller male last night; he's still dead to the world and lying haphazardously on his stomach in bed. Quietly, the warrior steps in the room and rights the blanket over Ichigo's body once more. The other sighs and snuggles into the pillow he's hugging. Grimmjow leaves just as soundlessly, entering the tower without announcing himself. Kisuke looks up from his work, the violet haired woman peeking around the corner quizzically. She's naked, never shy about flaunting her dark skin, and Grimmjow pays no mind to her. He learned earlier on that they're both feline at heart.

"I'm offering you this only once," Grimmjow states without being questioned. "You can come with us, or stay here. I don't care either way, but Ichigo would like you to accompany us to my territory. We're leaving once Ichigo is awake and fed, so you have until then to decide… and pack if your decision is to come. If you're not ready by that time, we're leaving without you and you can come at your leisure. Keep in mind, however, that the road there is extremely treacherous without myself or my companions around."

He doesn't think they'll choose so quickly, but the two are packing bags before he even closes the door. With a satisfied smirk, Grimmjow retreats to gather something for Ichigo to eat. He's not going anywhere until he's positive his treasure is cared for. When he's carrying the tray of food into the room, Ichigo is just beginning to stir. Amber eyes are glazed with sleep, his lids heavy with exhaustion, and Grimmjow is tempted to make him go back to sleep.

"You can nap in the wagon," he sighs. "Here, eat breakfast and get ready. I have a surprise for you when you're finished."

"… What is it?"

"A surprise," Grimmjow smirks. "Eat up."

It takes a while for Ichigo to eat, the other too tired to do so quickly. When he's finished, Grimmjow has Hallibel help the orange head bathe and dress. She takes pity on the other, dressing him in black riding pants and a long sleeved blouse that looks close to a male's shirt. The jeweled chocker catches her eye, the blonde wrapping another silk scarf around Ichigo's neck like he had yesterday. She's not stupid, she knows what that jewel is and how desired it happens to be. If they want Grimmjow to keep from massacring innocent people, they'll need to keep the Hogyoku covered.

"Come on, I'll help you downstairs so you don't fall."

"I'm just so tired," Ichigo sighs out. "I've never felt so drained before… that nightmare was horrible last night."

"Nightmare?" she inquires.

"I dreamt we were attacked and I was torn apart by crazy vampire women! Grimmjow called them Baobhan sith or something. I've never been so scared in my life!"

"It was only a dream," she assures absently. "We won't let anything happen to you, I promise. I will protect you with my life."

"Don't do that," Ichigo frowns. "My life isn't any more important than yours. Besides, I would rather you live if I had to choose. I couldn't live with people dying for me."

"… You are an odd princess."

Ichigo rolls his eyes, telling Hallibel without words what he thinks of that comment. She ignores it, standing close to him as they descend the stairs. He's still half asleep from the looks of it and she's afraid he'll trip and injure himself if he's not careful. Grimmjow is just walking in to get him when he hits the last step, wrapping the usual arm around his waist once he reaches him.

"Where's my surprise?" Ichigo wonders. "Will I like it?"

"You'll love it."

He leads Ichigo outside, the orange head stopping in shock when he sees his parents tossing their bags into the second wagon. For a moment he doesn't know what to feel, yet the surge of happiness strikes him soon after. He cheers, hugging Grimmjow tightly, and then runs into Yorouchi's arms. Grimmjow stares at the woman for a moment, wondering where it is he's seen her before. Maybe not seen, but… something about her is far too familiar to brush under the carpet. With a careless shrug, Grimmjow makes sure Ichigo gets into the last wagon easily enough and then swings himself into the saddle of his white stallion.

"Let's go!" he calls out.

Ichigo almost falls over when the wagon lurches forward, Yorouchi holding him in place. Kisuke and Yorouchi sit on either side of Ichigo, all three using a long chest as a bench. As they wait to arrive, Kisuke and Ichigo pull out something to read…and Yorouchi sharpens her throwing knives.

They're half an hour from lunch when Ichigo starts getting restless, the orange head pacing the area of the wagon he can move freely in. Yorouchi and Kisuke watch him carefully, ready to yank him back should he topple out the back. He stills upon hearing a giggling.

"Did you hear that?" he wonders.

"No, honey, we didn't hear anything," Yorouchi frowns. "Why?"

Ichigo shakes his head, one hand stroking the key beneath his scarf. He starts pacing again, that giggling echoing both playfully and mockingly within his head. It's like his nightmare is following him around. At a loss for what to do now, as pacing isn't getting him anywhere and Grimmjow is at the front of this little caravan, Ichigo sits on the floor and absently conjures a ball of water in one hand. The orange head trails it around by a finger, the water stretching into a thick line that loops around depending on where Ichigo leads it. Kisuke is visibly astonished, as it normally takes much more time and effort… and practice… to conjure one element from another. It's apparent Ichigo created this one from the vapors in the air. So much potential and so little knowledge of it.

* * *

Sorry, not much in this chapter ^^; If I'm totally honest, however, this chapter and the chapter before started out as one... before I realized I had more than 6 pages, lol! I think they turned out rather well though. I'm going to work on Jail Bird today, maybe my books. You never know ;p For those of you wondering which fics I have to update: **Hacking My Heart, Born to the Shadows, Asylum of the Damned, College Diva, High Seas Mayhem, and Bleach Bait **(obviously). First one to review... and write more than just the title of the fic they want... gets what they want =D

Shiro: Those reviews from before er kinda annoyin'.

Vae: I know. But they were just eager to get the fic they wanted. =(

Ichi: Constructive criticism is hard to come by. *sigh*

Grimm: Whatever. Let's get on with the updates.

Trio: *glares at Grimm*

Grimm: What?

Ichi: You're so insensitive sometimes. D=

Grimm: And that's different from any other time... how?

Ichi: *hits Grimm upside the head* No sex for you tonight! DX

Grimm: ... What about this afternoon? Or maybe this evening? =3

Ichi: You're on the couch until I say otherwise!

Grimm: I don't mind a little couch play ;p

Ichi: What part of 'no sex for you' are you not getting? *growls in annoyance*

Grimm: The part where you give in and spread your legs anyway. You're really bad at holding grudges.

Shiro: Good thing fer ya. If he was good at it, ya'd never have sex again in yer life! XD

Grimm: Tell me about it. =(


	10. Chapter 10

Countdown: **5**

Lmao! Back to this one ;p I'm glad everyone is enjoying it =D I've been updated on one of the requests. Since it's a one-shot, I might write it later today... not sure yet. I'm sorry Darkdolly, I just can't think up a good way to start yours T^T I swear I'll get to it! For those of you interested, I managed to write a chapter for each of my books and I started the next chapter for Jail Bird =) Unfortunately, it was late, I took my meds and I was starting to doze off. I lost interest after page 2. I have about three updates where I have to start a new story, so you'll likely have to wait for those. I just don't feel like writing a summary right now ^^; Lazy me! DX I'm working on my books right now. I figured a chapter a day for each through the day and dabble on my fics later =) It's a plan... might not be a good one or one I can stick to, but it's a plan ;p

Grimm: Always good to have a plan. Myself? I'm interested in this warning in Jail Bird. =3

Vae: Uh... ask Ichi, he read it. =)

Shiro & Grimm: Ichi! Why didn't you tell us you read it? D=

Ichi: *blushing madly* I didn't really... I sort of stopped near the end. I closed my eyes and you can't read with them closed ^^;

Shiro: Why? What happened? XD

Grimm: Spill it, Kitten! =D

Ichi: ... Go read it yourselves, I told you I stopped near the end. DX

Vae: ;p

* * *

Chapter 10

Grimmjow is on high alert, cyan pools darting along the trail for danger. He posted the women in the back to guard Ichigo, Hallibel and her group the less likely to be swayed by the upcoming threat, and the others have been warned of what they'll face. They've been traveling all day, eating lunch as they march. Grimmjow fell back around noon to make sure Ichigo ate something, but returned to the front of the caravan afterward. His senses are far more superior to his men; he'll catch the Baobhan sith before they attack.

"The night is falling," Stark remarks from the first wagon. "The Baobhan sith should be waking to feast."

"Everyone has been debriefed; they're as prepared as they can be. Whatever happens from here on out… it's their problem."

"You don't really think that, do you?"

"Stark, I can't deny the Baobhan sith a meal if they're stupid enough to walk into their arms after being warned," the blue haired man growls. "They guard my territory at night, their loyalty is important to me. A war with them is the last thing I want!"

He nods his understanding… it's extremely difficult to garner the loyalty of night creatures such as the Baobhan sith, they're loyal to only those in their pack. Grimmjow had saved them from the daylight once when traveling through their forests. A war had broken out between mortal kingdoms when Grimmjow was a teenager, he lived with the jaguars in that area and they hid within the den. The Baobhan sith had lost their home to fire, retreating deeper into the foliage searching for refuge. Grimmjow was hunting when they came across him, the blue haired male immune to their charms thanks to his animal parents raising him. He hid them from the sun that threatened to kill them, keeping them safe all day from the mortals. In return, they followed him to his new territory when he created his kingdom. They protect him all night and he continues to keep them safe all day. In return, they feed off travelers or threats that wander into Grimmjow's area and keep from feeding off those in his kingdom. That alliance is a little shaky when they've been without food for a while, an understandable side effect. They'd never dream of harming Grimmjow himself… but his troops are fair game should they allow it.

"Grimmjow, the queen is getting restless," Hallibel sighs after running up to him. "He wants to walk with the troops and stretch his legs."

"No… night has fallen and the Baobhan sith have awoken."

Ichigo lifts his head at the sound of giggling, frowning as his heart skips a beat. That wasn't an echo of his nightmare. Dusk has turned the sky gray, the trail taking on a shady look that screams 'horror film' to the orange head. A bush rustles to his left, garnering his attention. Another bout of soft giggles flows from the brush, sending a chill down his spine. Ichigo has honestly never wanted to be nearer to his husband than at that very moment.

"Baobhan sith," Kisuke murmurs.

"Don't worry, sweetie, momma's got this," Yorouchi grins wickedly. "If they get any closer than the trail's edge, I'll fucking fillet their pretty bloodsucking asses."

"… Why don't you sit over here by your daddy," Kisuke comments nervously.

Ichigo catches the flash of long dark hair, a body in a green dress darting between tree trunks. His heart hammers hard in his chest, almost tearing its way through his ribcage. The giggling turns to singing, the fluid bodies beginning to dance about alongside the trail. One of them catches sight of Ichigo, beckoning him with a crooked finger and a seductive smirk. Kisuke is beside Ichigo, hanging out of the wagon as he waves eagerly. A jealous Yorouchi slams her knife in the wood beside the blonde's hand, startling Kisuke and causing a quick retreat by the eccentric man.

"Go away," Ichigo snaps. "I know you have to eat, but can't you just wait for the next bunch of travelers?"

The women laugh at his attempts, dancing about and beckoning to the guards. Hallibel motions for the girls to tighten their circle around the last wagon, her sword at the ready in case the Baobhan sith try for their queen. The first of the men stray from the caravan, unable to resist the beauties calling to them. A few more follow. Ichigo grabs one of his mother's knives and hurls it, narrowly missing one of the women on purpose. It was meant to be a warning as she reached for the guard, the action stalling her attack. The wagon hits a bump and Ichigo is knocked out of it, rolling to cushion his fall. The men are torn between the lovely women and protecting Grimmjow's new treasure. The Baobhan sith know exactly what they want to do. The one Ichigo attacked lunges for him with a hiss, sharp nails at the ready.

"Ichigo!" Yorouchi screams.

The orange head gasps and rolls out of the creature's way, scrambling to his feet. Her attacks are frenzied, slashing without thought to anyone around her as she tries to gain vengeance for the knife earlier. The others are attacking the guards they lured, sinking fangs into them as their nails dig deep for blood. Ichigo can't bare the screaming, holding his hands to his ears and moving toward them. He's about to kick the first away; however he's scooped up by someone from behind. Grimmjow situates his wife in front of him on the horse, frowning in anger at the Baobhan sith. There's inquiry in their eyes, as though they don't understand what they did wrong. Grimmjow answers them by turning a stunned Ichigo's head and kissing him deeply.

"Mine," he growls out. "Take what you've caught, it's only fair. They were warned. This one, however, belongs to me. He is my treasure… my wife… my queen."

They back away, nodding a short bow to the both of them. Grimmjow turns his steed, noting how Kisuke had to tackle Yorouchi to keep her in the wagon. Though they prefer men, the Baobhan sith aren't known to be too picky when opportunity presents itself. The caravan continues on its way, the few men that gave in are left behind for the creatures they fell prey to.

"That was reckless and stupid," Grimmjow growls. "I warned you about them, you should've stayed in the…"

He stops short upon seeing the look on Ichigo's face. It's a mixture of fear, guilt, sorrow, and panic. Ichigo's eyes are so distant and riddled with emotion; Grimmjow's immediately remorseful about starting his rant so soon after the attack. He knew how badly the nightmare had affected Ichigo, he can only imagine seeing said dream come true would be even worse.

"I wanted to save them," Ichigo murmurs.

"Ichigo, they were warned," Grimmjow sighs. "I know it hurts, but there was nothing we could do. The Baobhan sith haven't eaten in a long while, they need to eat just like we do. Those men were warned."

"I could've… I wanted to save them… They didn't have to…"

Grimmjow sighs and holds the other close, returning to the front of the caravan. When Nnoitra opens his mouth to comment, a single glare has him shutting it without a sound. Ulquiorra watches the exchange with attentive green eyes, staying silent as always and making note of the conversation he'll bring up later.

Grimmjow is becoming increasingly worried about his wife as the hours pass, the orange head hasn't said a word since the attack. The palace comes into view, all white stone and gold engravings. It was a gift from his father upon the end of his first conquest, the lands a gift from his mother. Grimmjow takes care of his village well, the occupants mostly peasants from the demolished kingdoms and demi-gods of little power. Those closest to him live within the palace with Grimmjow, his own little mismatched family of sorts. He doesn't take much time to mingle with the villagers; he never does, instead choosing to head straight to the palace gates. Without skipping a beat, he slides off the horse and pulls Ichigo after him. Grimmjow carries the unresponsive male bridal style, ignoring the greetings from servants eager to please.

"This is our room," Grimmjow comments as he steps into a large bedroom. "You'll stay here for tonight… sleep off the trip. I'll go get you something for dinner."

He sets Ichigo on the large circular bed, the furs soft to the touch. When he pulls away, however, Ichigo grips his wrist. Ichigo doesn't look at Grimmjow, his amber eyes boring holes in the floor, yet the warrior knows what he wants. He doesn't want to be alone with the screams of the soldiers in his head… their blood on his innocent hands. Grimmjow sits beside Ichigo, his queen curling up against him to rest.

Grimmjow quietly shuts the bedroom door fifteen minutes after sitting down with Ichigo, that's how long it took the orange head to fall asleep. He heads down to the kitchen, surprised to see Ulquiorra already there waiting for him. His large emerald eyes gaze upon his king, long pale fingers running through his shoulder length hair. Ulquiorra is petite and doesn't even brush five foot nine, having to look up to even Ichigo… but he's a force to be reckoned with being the child of Hades.

"You took a bit longer than I thought you would," the dark haired man comments.

"Ichigo didn't take the attack well," Grimmjow sighs. "Having a wife is more difficult than war! That's so easy, just going in and killing people to get what you want. With a wife, it's like a mountain of fucking mind games."

"You don't have to treat him so well; he's merely a treasure isn't he?"

"Yeah… about that… I think I want to mark him as a deity," Grimmjow comments. "You know… so I can keep him forever."

Ulquiorra blinks in surprise, the emotion barely readable within those morbid depths. He knows these emotions are new to Grimmjow, as the other has never felt the urge to choose a permanent lover let alone marry, but marking the princess as a deity after only a few days of marriage is crazy. With a heavy sigh, the son of the underworld stands up and motions for his king to take his seat.

"You don't think this decision has been made hastily? After all, you just said being married to him is difficult."

"Well… yeah, but… I've always liked a challenge and nothing is more challenging than him. Besides, how often does a god have the urge to turn a human into a deity to keep them forever?"

"More often than you might think," the other states monotonously. "I suggest you refrain from acting upon that urge until the queen reciprocates your feelings… or you'll end up in a relationship like Aphrodite and Hephaestus."

"… Wow… that would suck," Grimmjow frowns. "Point taken, I'll wait. The last thing I need is Ichigo starting wars like his mother."

Grimmjow lets the subject drop, rummaging for a quick dinner for Ichigo. His friend stays within the room, simply following his movements with emerald eyes. Godlings like Grimmjow, born pure and choosing to live with mortals, have the ability to make a single mortal or demi-god immortal like themselves. They only get this chance once, though, so they're extremely picky about whom they give such a gift to.

"Do you really think he'll be worth it?" Ulquiorra questions. "What if the immortality and power push him to be more like his mother? Mortals and demi-gods don't always take well to such a thing, the majority of the time they become full of themselves like the original gods. Harming mortals would be play to him if he falls."

"He won't. I need to make sure he eats tonight," Grimmjow says. "I don't want anyone bothering him until tomorrow afternoon. He needs to get settled in his new home. Have Szayel show the alchemist and his wife to the free tower, they can stay there while they live in my territory."

Before Ulquiorra can say anything more, Grimmjow leaves the kitchen. The silver tray balanced on his hand is carefully raised above Gin's head, the silver haired male pouting as he trudges down the stairs. Grimmjow knows why he's upset, yet he'll deal with it later. Right now, he has to take care of his newest treasure. He opens the bedroom door and walks in, setting the tray on the table near the window before turning on the lamp by his side of the bed.

"Wake up, baby," he comments. "You need to eat dinner."

Ichigo groans as he's jostled, sitting up slowly and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The silver tray has a bowl of fruit, some bread and cheese, meats to make a sandwich, and a bottle of juice with a couple goblets. The orange head looks between the tray and Grimmjow… and then buries himself back beneath the furs.

"Oh no you don't," Grimmjow murmurs. "Get out here."

Grimmjow digs beneath the furs for an ankle, yanking Ichigo from the bed carefully. He makes certain when the mattress is gone from beneath the other, Ichigo has Grimmjow's arms to fall back on. The warrior settles Ichigo back atop the blankets with a pointed glare, the other sighing in relent before reaching for the food. He doesn't eat much, just a small sandwich and a couple grapes, and he drinks half a glass of apple juice.

"There was nothing you could do," Grimmjow remarks quietly. "Don't beat yourself up about it; it'll only kill you inside."

"… I could've tried harder."

"Look at me," Grimmjow states as he grips Ichigo's chin. "You aren't from here; you don't know the dangers of this place like I do. If you would've continued to fight with them, you would've ended up dead as well… and I would've taken more lives that didn't need to end. Tell me which is better, losing a few lives that knowingly walked into death or losing a thousand that never see it coming?"

"… Why do we need to lose any?"

"Because that's the way this world works! We are to these monsters as animals are to us, we are their food. They deserve to live as well, don't they?"

Ichigo looks away, seeing reason and hating it. At the slight defeat his spouse shows, Grimmjow sort of regrets yelling at him. He wanted Ichigo to get over what happened, yet he didn't want to break his will like that. Grimmjow prefers his feisty, surprise filled treasure.

"Look, I'm sorry," he sighs. "And you won't hear that from me often. It's just… you need to understand you can't save everyone. If you can't learn that, you won't last long here. I, for one, prefer you last much longer than recent actions imply."

"… I understand."

"Good. Let's get some sleep."

Ichigo crawls back beneath the furs, snuggling into the fluffy pillows behind him. Grimmjow joins him, moving carefully around his queen as he gets comfortable. Ichigo doesn't react to the, now mostly familiar, arms around him. Instead closing his eyes, wondering if he'd rather have stayed behind alone… or if being here with his parents is what he wants. With a quiet sigh, Ichigo prays toothbrushes and toothpaste made it to this world with the running water and electricity. Although he's very tired, Ichigo ends up lying awake for a long time. He'd never admit it, but… Ichigo's afraid of shutting his eyes and watching the attack repeat within his dreams.

* * *

Wow, I can't believe I left you guys right before his vision came true =( Just so you know, that mythical monster is an actual myth ;p I looked it up on a mythical monster website! I love myths XD I need to get back to my books, not sure which fic I'll update tomorrow... I'll probably randomly pick it. 'Point and click' is so much easier than thinking XD Once more I'd like to thank those that reviewed on 'Asylum of the Damned', I hadn't realized I used a different time when he woke from the nightmare and called Ichigo ^^; See? This is why I have readers XD

Shiro: Really? I thought they were just fer givin' ya ideas on how ta torment Ichi.

Vae: They help with that, too ;p

Grimm: You guys are so mean to my Kitten.

Ichi: *pouting in Grimm's arms* See? I've been telling you that, but you wouldn't believe me.

Shiro: He don' mean it, Ichi. He's just tryin' ta get in yer pants... again. ;p

Ichi: I know, but it still makes me feel better. =(

Grimm: Not as good as I'll make you feel later =3


	11. Chapter 11

Countdown: **4**

Okay, Ichigo has been very adamant he wants this fic updated ;p I'm almost done with 'Mark of Interest', but I'm hoping to get some of my books done today. It's been a few days since I worked on them ^^; Anyway, I hope you're all excited for the update, I'm sure you'll love it ;p Well... it's not as action packed as Jail Bird, but Ichigo does get in trouble... again. =D By the way, someone had mentioned they though Ichigo was getting to animalistic compared to how he's been in Jail Bird. I'd just like to point out that I never specified how he killed all those people in the beginning, just that he did it with his bare hands and there was a lot of blood. He was that way before.

Ichi: That's because I'm bad ass! *cheers*

Shiro: No, it's 'cause yer followin' yer inner Shiro's lead... an' he's bad ass! 'Cause he's me ;p

Grimm: Back on the egotism kick, huh?

Ichi: What are you talking about, he never got off it. *sighs*

Grimm: *shakes head* I've been looking for the off switch, but I do believe it's permanently broken.

Ichi: Why me? T^T

* * *

Chapter 11

Ichigo wakes the next afternoon, having fallen asleep from sheer exhaustion around two in the morning. Grimmjow is gone and no one traverses the hall outside, keeping the area around the master bedroom quiet for the slumbering queen. Still a bit drowsy, Ichigo grabs some clothes and heads into the bathroom to bathe. To his delight, a small basket sits on the marble sink filled with necessities. A toothbrush, toothpaste, and all the comforts of home made it to this realm and Ichigo couldn't be happier. He cleans up slowly, just soaking in the hot water and enjoying his solitude. Afterward, Ichigo gets dressed in a long teal dress that looks a bit like a toga with a gold circlet. Today the orange head is too tired to care about what he's wearing, so he makes no adjustments.

"My queen, have you awoken?" Hallibel calls.

"I'm awake," Ichigo sighs.

"Come, I'll show you around the village today."

Ichigo doesn't even make a fuss; following Hallibel and unconsciously holding himself in a regal manner. Those working within the castle stop whatever they're doing upon seeing the orange head, jaws dropping in shock at the very thought the rumors of their king's marriage are true. Ichigo sighs at the warmth of sunlight spilling onto his skin outside, the breeze carrying the scent of fresh rain. This village is larger than the other one, with more people and buildings. Hallibel keeps Ichigo beside her, the blonde's sword upon her back even in the gates of her own home. It's most likely because she's taking care of Ichigo, as the others seem surprised she's armed.

"The villagers have their businesses along the main street," she points out. "Their homes are along the streets that split off from the main one, there's a park over that way with a large pond, and we have a rather large garden behind the castle."

"Can we…"

"Grimmjow gave me a pouch of gold coins in case you decided to stop in the shops, though I don't understand why you would bother," she sighs at the sight of him looking toward the shops.

Ichigo smiles at Grimmjow's foresight, heading for the bakery first. He hasn't eaten yet and his stomach is protesting. Jaws drop once more when Ichigo steps into the small bakery, amber eyes scanning the displays and a small smile on his lips. The woman behind the counter slowly makes her way around to the important customer, those seated unable to eat as they openly stare at the child of Aphrodite.

"C-can I help you?" she asks.

"Oh yes, you can," Ichigo grins. "What would you recommend? You know what, never mind… just give me a couple of those little tarts, a slice of that chocolate cake for my mom, and… do you want anything, Hallibel?"

"No, I do not."

"Okay, I think that's it," the orange head smiles. "How much?"

The woman watches as Ichigo rummages through the pouch of gold coins, waiting for her to answer. Ichigo is concerned with her lack of speech, looking toward her quizzically. A man from the back is just walking up, his face set in a scowl. Mistaking Hallibel's presence as her hassling his wife for taxes, he gets aggressive.

"What's going on out here!" he shouts. "Who the fuck are you!"

"Uh… I'm Ichigo."

"He is your new queen," Hallibel snaps. "You will show him the same respect you show his husband, King Grimmjow."

"… You're married to the king? How did he manage that, hold a dagger to your throat?" he scoffs.

Ichigo just stares at him like he grew a second head. That look is all the confirmation the man needs, his features immediately showing regret and pity. Ichigo doesn't like the look, scowling a bit to show said displeasure. If Ichigo really didn't want to marry the warrior, there's no way in hell anyone could make him.

"What's the total?" Ichigo asks in a huff. "I've already slept half the day away and I still have the whole village to look around, I don't have time for you to shower me with unwanted pity!"

"I apologize, it's just… the king has never used his power to force a princess into marriage before. It must be very difficult for you, he's not the easiest person to get along with," the man sighs. "He hasn't hurt you, has he?"

The blonde Amazon is ready to tear into the baker at such a question, infuriated these villages could think so little of the man that treats them better than any ruler should. Ichigo, however, can sense her bloodlust as easily as he can Grimmjow's. He steps between them, sending a backward scowl at the blonde. Her job may be to protect him, but she'll damn well wait until he needs it. The orange head turns back to the man before him, surprised he's so pissed at someone badmouthing his spouse. Then again that shouldn't be so shocking, as Ichigo has always been known for his loyalty… even if he didn't want to marry Grimmjow at first, that's still his husband and only Ichigo should be able to talk bad about him. That's like, the wife's right or something.

"I may be stuck with the helpless title of 'princess', but don't you dare assume I can't take care of myself," Ichigo snaps. "If anything, he's the one having trouble keeping up with me. I'm not exactly your typical princess, you know."

"That's for damn sure," Hallibel scoffs. "A typical princess knows not to go up against a group of hungry Baobhan sith."

"I would've won if Grimmjow hadn't of yanked me away!" Ichigo snaps.

"Sure you would've."

"Give me my damn sweets so I can get rid of her!"

At a loss for words in the face of such a strange submissive, the baker makes the exchange and hands Ichigo's boxes to Hallibel. She follows him out, caution in her eyes as an unshakable feeling of dread fills her. She would never show it or even admit to it… but this demi-god makes her very nervous. She knows what Aphrodite is capable of, so Hallibel has no reason to think Ichigo isn't capable of the same. Hallibel may be a child of the hunt, but Ichigo is a child that could cause wars if he so pleases.

Ichigo stops to visit every shop, grinning widely as his purchases pile up. It isn't even that he's buying in bulk, but that everything he gets needs to be placed in a box or bag. Every item is handed to Hallibel, the boxes piling atop one another until she can't really see her charge. Once he's positive she can't make him out, Ichigo passes a couple gold coins to a woman about his height. He also hands her the silk cloak he bought so Hallibel won't know the difference until he's gone. After the blonde wanders off behind the woman Ichigo paid off, the orange head snickers and hurries off to the park. He doesn't know why he has to have a guard in Grimmjow's own kingdom, that just seems stupid to Ichigo. Ichigo didn't even want to walk through the village, he would've been happy lounging about near the pond where he's heading now. Before he gets there, however, the new queen stops in a shop to buy a fishing pole and some bait.

"Where's your guard, my queen?" a woman questions from the counter.

"Busy," Ichigo waves off. "I'd like some bait, please. Just some minnows if you don't mind, I probably won't be out there long."

"Shame for such a pretty thing to be all alone."

Ichigo frowns at the hot breath down the back of his neck, almost gagging at the sour beer upon it. He ignores the man, trying his best not to let his temper show, and pays for his things before leaving. The orange head isn't stupid; he knows that idiot is following him. Ichigo checks the street quickly, noting that Hallibel is nowhere in sight, and makes a mad dash for the park. He chooses a quiet area in the shade to sit down, soaking his feet in the cool water as the line is cast.

"Your guard doesn't even know you're here alone, does she?"

"Nope."

"You aren't scared someone will hurt you?"

"Not in the least."

"… You should be."

The man moves toward Ichigo, who just slides into the pond to escape him. The guy backtracks quickly, obviously not one for swimming, and Ichigo makes his way to a good sized boulder sitting in the pond's middle. Something about the size of himself darts beneath him in the waters, the orange head stopping a moment and praying he didn't make a mistake. When he doesn't see it again, Ichigo finishes his swim to the boulders. He pulls himself up, dragging his fishing pole with him, and makes himself comfortable before casting a second time.

"You fish?"

Startled at the feminine tone he wasn't expecting, Ichigo looks down into the water. There's a beautiful woman there with long curly locks and large innocent eyes. Twined within her strawberry blonde locks are lush green leaves, her dress glimmering beneath the water like diamonds. Ichigo is taken aback, eyes darting about to remember if he missed seeing her before.

"Uh… who are you?" he wonders a bit befuddled.

"I'm Orihime, the naiad of this lake. Who are you? I don't think I've seen you around before," she giggles. "Oh! Hold on a minute, are you the new queen Ulqui told me about? You really are very beautiful!"

"… Thank you? I mean… I'm Ichigo, Grimmjow's new wife…"

"How can he have a new wife, silly? He never had an old one!" Orihime laughs.

Ichigo smirks at her childishness. With all the battles and hostility he's endured recently, it's nice to have someone to talk to that's not likely to yell at him. Ichigo knows that Naiads are prone to jealousy; however this one seems to be rather taken by the son of Hades. Good thing Ichigo is already taken.

Hallibel is steaming! She spent the last fifteen minutes to half an hour following around some twit villager, her charge is missing, there's talk of him having a stalker, and if Grimmjow finds his precious treasure violated somewhere secluded he'll have her head! She storms into the palace, dropping Ichigo's things next to the door before turning to leave again. She needs to find Ichigo before Grimmjow finds either of them.

"Hey, Hall… where's my bitch?"

And there goes that plan. She sighs in misery, turning to face Grimmjow with the most innocent look she can muster. The king is in a good mood today, his cyan eyes more curious than suspicious, and the blonde really hates ruining these rare moods. She does the first thing that comes to mind… she lies.

"Hiding," she comments.

"… Why?"

"Uh… we're… playing a game."

"… You lost him, didn't you?" Grimmjow smirks playfully.

"You're not angry?" she inquires with a hint of worry. "I mean… I had him there with me, but he… he waited until he packed my arms with boxes and paid off a village woman to pose as him! I didn't notice until it was too late. I'm so sorry, my king!"

Grimmjow snorts in humor, waving her off as he heads outside. Ichigo is a slippery one; Grimmjow knew that the first day they met. Although he had hoped Hallibel would be too astute for Ichigo to pull one over on, the hope was extremely small. If Ichigo can escape a castle with a guard at every exit, it should be child's play for him to sneak away from a single guard in the midst of a large village.

"I'll find him," he comments. "I've got nothing better to do, anyway. Go check on his parents, will you? They've been rather quiet and that woman makes me nervous."

"Not the alchemist?" Hallibel wonders in surprise.

"Not a chance, that guy's a lunatic. It's the woman that scares me… she reminds me too much of Ichigo. If he acts like her and she's older than him, I think that's cause to be nervous."

Grimmjow doesn't wait for an answer, heading outside and sniffing the air. Ichigo is rather simple, he's found. The orange head likes mingling with the commoners, spending time reading, and communing with nature. As long as he's outside, Ichigo is happy… much like Grimmjow. Keeping this in mind, the warrior thinks about his favorite place to laze about when he gets the time. With a smirk, Grimmjow heads for the park. There are other places he'd rather go, however the park is the only one within the kingdom's walls and Ichigo has already proven to have a limit when it comes to breaking the rules.

Grimmjow searches the park area, listening for any sound of his wife. He can hear Ichigo cry out, a frown touching his lips as he runs in that direction. Ichigo is standing on the boulders in the middle of the small lake with Orihime, Ulquiorra's love interest and the lake's naiad. She's eating a fish he caught, yet Ichigo is having trouble with another on the end of his line. With one good tug, the orange headed male is set splashing into the water. Orihime yelps, diving in after him.

"Holy shit!" Ichigo utters when they surface. "That was a monster fish!"

"No, silly, that wasn't a fish… that was a mermaid," Orihime laughs. "They live in the lake on the other side of the mountains that cradle this kingdom, but a couple sometimes visit me. They use an underwater tunnel that connects the bodies of water."

"Grimmjow!" Ichigo calls once he sees the other. "What some fish? I caught a few of them!"

Grimmjow waves him over exasperatedly. Ichigo and Orihime gather his fish into a basket she brought up from her collection of things, the two swimming over to the shore where the king stands. Grimmjow pulls Ichigo up, taking the basket and fishing pole with a nod Orihime's way. Ichigo was going to tell him about the man that followed him; however he'll wait for a better time. No doubt he's going to get in trouble for ditching Hallibel. With a wave goodbye and a promise to tell Ulquiorra she said hello, Ichigo follows Grimmjow back to the palace. Ichigo can honestly say he'll never get used to this, always being watched and questioned… always a prisoner in some way or another. He's a free spirit, just like his mother, something that scares the battled hardened warrior. Someday, Ichigo is likely to realize he doesn't have to stay with Grimmjow and leave. Perhaps there will be another that catches his fancy. Ichigo catches the look on Grimmjow's face, concern immediately washing over him. He'll have to talk to Grimmjow when they get home.

* * *

Awe, poor Grimmy and his insecurities ;p What kind of god has insecurities? Hmm... maybe they can only be written within fanfiction! XD I hope you enjoyed the update, I thought I was further than that, but I guess not =( Don't worry, we'll get there eventually. For now, I'm going to start working on the next chapters of my books! Maybe I'll get as much written as I can in one today... I don't know, we'll see how I'm feeling ;p As for 'Mark of Interest', I just may finish that one first. I'm not too far off from the ending. XD

Ichi: Finally! A fic where I'm not completely humiliated by Grimmjow! XD

Grimm: What the hell kind of fic is that? =(

Vae: Don't worry, you two make a guest appearence! =D

Ichi: As long as it doesn't involve me bent over, pinned, or on my back.

Grimm: ... You just listed my favorite ways to have you T^T

Ichi: What the hell is our relationship based on! You don't love me at all, do you? You just want sex! DX

Grimm: That's not true, Kitten... I just love sex almost as much as you! XD

Ichi: ... I know I should leave you, but I just can't bring myself to do it. T^T

Grimm: Lucky me! =3


	12. Chapter 12

Countdown: **3**

Here's your second update! XD I already wrote a bunch of stuff on the last one, but I'll try to figure something out. Hmm... I went to the rave last night. People are strange ;p I love going to conventions, I can be the biggest fangirl and no one cares XD My cousin went with me, but her and her sister pretty much made fun of the cosplayers. Not cool =( Although, with some of the outfits there... I can see where the urge to tease comes from. ^^;

Shiro: I'd do it just ta do it ;p

Ichi: That's because you're an asshole.

Shiro: I ain't... I'm just easily bored.

Ichi: You should play with Grimmjow more. Then you'd both be in the hospital longer! And I'd get a break from both of you! XD

Shiro: ... Yer such a jerk. T^T

* * *

Chapter 12

Ichigo is shocked when he doesn't get yelled at for ditching his guard, his suspicion on the reason why growing with each second Grimmjow ignores him. For a moment, Ichigo wonders if Grimmjow is giving him the silent treatment for disobeying him. He really wouldn't put it past him, although Grimmjow seems more the type to use violence than subtlety. Ichigo sits beside Grimmjow's throne, where the other has been going over a list of problems the villagers made, and lays his head on his husband's lap. Grimmjow stills at the movement, slowly moving the paper to look down at large amber eyes.

"Yes?" he questions with a hint of humor.

"… Are you mad at me?"

"Does it matter?" Grimmjow wonders almost teasingly.

"… Kind of. I don't want to get locked in the palace again…"

"Ichigo, this is your kingdom, too," the warrior sighs. "As a matter of fact… here! You can do your first queenly duty and see to the problems the villagers are having! You can help your people and keep busy at the same time!"

Ichigo looks between Grimmjow and the sheet of parchment he's holding out, amber eyes lidded with an 'as if' expression. When Grimmjow pushes the paper closer, Ichigo sighs and takes it with a frown.

"You just don't want to do it yourself," Ichigo points out. "You're not fooling me for a second. You think that me taking over your job will keep me from getting in trouble."

"There's no getting one over on you, is there?"

Ichigo glowers at his amused spouse, Grimmjow propping his head up by the fist resting at his chin. With his free hand, the warrior shoos Ichigo away. Unwilling to give in completely, Ichigo just scoots to the side of the throne and leans against it to read. Grimmjow has to see to the more serious problems, those of which are brought by messenger, and won't be moving for a while. Since Ichigo seems intent on staying beside him for now, he doesn't want the other sitting on the cold ivory that makes up his castle.

"Ulquiorra," he calls.

The dark haired male moves from the shadows and nods a short bow, large green eyes taking in the sight curiously. For a princess forced into marriage, Ichigo has cozied up to Grimmjow without… well… okay, there was a lot of problem. It just seems to have passed fairly quickly, though the other is still pressing Grimmjow's every button. Ichigo doesn't even look up when he speaks, cutting off Grimmjow and earning a glare that goes ignored.

"Orihime says hello," he states. "I promised to tell you."

"Um… thank you. Grimmjow, what were you saying?"

"Find a few comfortable cushions for Ichigo to sit on."

"I'm fine, don't bother," the orange head waves off.

Grimmjow sends a pointed look to the raven, who bows once more and heads out of the room. Ichigo isn't really paying attention; too busy gazing over the list to notice much. His mind is working hard to think of plausible ways to fix some of these obstacles, as the orange head is still unsure what made it here and what was left undiscovered. Obviously, animals stealing chickens is an easy answer… they'll need to be placed in barns and coops. Flooded fields will likely need to be irrigated, leaks will need patched… but there's a few on here he has not clue how to deal with. The wayward monster stealing livestock, the faun chasing and harassing young women, and others like them are just out of Ichigo's league.

"Here you are, my queen," Ulquiorra remarks as he sets down the cushions.

Ichigo moves without thinking, settling back on the feather soft cushions with a satisfied sigh. He mumbles his thanks as the raven moves away, unaware of the grin on Grimmjow face. Get him distracted and Ichigo is likely to agree to anything without a fuss. As Ichigo glares at the few problems he can't solve, Grimmjow beckons to let the first messenger in.

"King Grimmjow," he states with a deep bow. "I come from Olympus…"

"Next!" Grimmjow calls.

"But…"

"Next, damn it! I told them I didn't want to hear their bellyaching! They're fucking gods; they should be able to deal with their own damn problems!"

Ichigo's attention is captured, snagged at the word 'Olympus'. He can't imagine what the gods of Greece could want with Grimmjow… aside from the fact one is his father. At Grimmjow's dismissal, Ichigo frowns and sends him a glare.

"That's not very nice, nor is it very kingly of you," he states. "A kind is to listen to all his subjects, no matter the absurdity of their requests. You don't turn someone away without even hearing them out… you wait until after they tell you what they need to before you judge whether or not to help."

"What the hell do you know about being a king? You don't even know how to be a proper princess, my queen."

"I know how to 'have a headache' when you decide you want to have sex," Ichigo shoots back.

"We don't have sex," Grimmjow points out triumphantly. "You can't use that against me."

Ichigo raises a brow at the statement, a mean smirk touching his lips that has Grimmjow rethinking his early victory. The orange head's eyes are almost gold with his anger, sending a tremor of excitement through the warrior. That sort of look is one he's seen on the gods he's come across before, one that burns with power. The blood of Aphrodite truly runs thicker within Ichigo's veins than his twin's.

"Would you like that to change?" Ichigo sneers. "Because I could make sure it doesn't. I have no problem living in a sexless marriage."

"… So, what does Olympus have to say?" Grimmjow asks the messenger.

The messenger just blinks, staring between the two in complete and utter stupefaction. No one has ever talked Grimmjow into taking a message from the Greek gods before, yet this submissive he can only guess is a spoiled whore does so easily. Ichigo turns half his attention back to his list, keeping the other on the conversation.

"Um… well, your father sends his regards. He heard you stole a most beautiful treasure and would like to see it for himself. I'm to tell you he's on his way and will arrive tomorrow," the man states. "They've also sent an invitation for you, to join them on Olympus for the summer solstice."

"Great… I can't believe you made me listen to this," Grimmjow grumbles.

"A good king deals with all his subjects, not just the most interesting ones."

"Yeah, yeah, I got that. Anything else?"

"… The invitation to move to Olympus still stands. As the son of Ares, you are expected to choose the path of a full god…"

Grimmjow holds up a hand to silence the man, boredom on his features. This he's heard before, it's the reason he refused every message since. He has no intention of living with the gods; it's more fun to live among the mortals. Grimmjow has good standing with those of his kingdom and the monsters that surround it, so he's not about to retreat to the haven of Greek gods and leave his people without a ruler.

"I've heard that part before and my answer remains the same. If that's all you have for me, you may leave," Grimmjow states.

The man bows and backs out of the room, letting the next messenger have his turn. It goes this way for around an hour, Grimmjow dealing with missing villagers, attacking monsters, burning crops, and the occasional thief or quarrel between families. After all that is settled, someone else enters that looks to be a messenger for someone very important. Grimmjow seems curious, yet also very annoyed with the man's presence.

"My lord, I have come to speak of a treaty with you and the neighboring kingdoms," he announces. "My king and the other's from the five large kingdoms wish to bypass your wrath; they offer you the most valuable of their treasures if you would refrain from attacking…"

"What's the fun in that?" Grimmjow scoffs. "I was born for war, for the hunt. If I make any nicer with the kingdoms I target, I might as well be the child of Cupid. Leaving everyone alive and well isn't enough for you guys now? Leave, before I have you thrown to the Baobhan sith."

Ichigo gasps at the comment, reminding Grimmjow of his presence. The warrior is startled, regretting bringing up the creatures of Ichigo's nightmares immediately. He never would've said that if he remembered Ichigo was sitting beside his throne, however the orange head has been so quiet… he let his irritation get the better of him. Grimmjow reaches down toward Ichigo, running his fingers through soft orange tresses in order to calm his favored treasure.

"Leave," he tells the messenger once more. "I have no need for a treaty; I'm nice enough during the attack there's no reason to ask for more. They're lucky I don't decimate them for even thinking I'm not doing a good enough job controlling my urges, you can tell them that for me."

The frightened man nods vigorously, backing away from the stairs leading to the throne. His eyes linger on Ichigo, the orange head just now getting the color back in his face. Rumors spread like wildfire of Grimmjow's wife, more beautiful than any mortal and the spitting image of Aphrodite, yet no one believed them. No princess in their right mind would willingly marry the violent godling… or, at least, they didn't think any princess in their right mind would. Ichigo gets up before the man is gone, seating himself on Grimmjow's lap with his sheet of parchment. He holds it up for Grimmjow to see, pointing at the last few he can't figure out.

"How do you stop a faun from harassing young women?" he wonders. "Or a mythical monster from stealing livestock?"

"You're the queen, you figure it out," Grimmjow teases. "This is your task, remember?"

"But… I don't know how."

"You're a smart one; you'll get it… eventually. Until then, however, you can send people out to fix the ones you do know how to fix," the warrior grins as he runs his fingers through Ichigo's hair. "And you'll stay out of trouble until you figure the others out."

Ichigo bristles, yet says nothing more… his father will know how to fix these. After all, Grimmjow said _he_ wouldn't help not that Ichigo couldn't find help elsewhere. Grimmjow eyes the messenger still lingering, growling quietly as he narrows his gaze. With a yelp, the man hurries out of the room. He was the last one Grimmjow had to deal with, the rest of his day clear for the moment. He watches Ichigo fondly, the orange head scribbling on the paper with his brow scrunched in concentration.

"There!" he exclaims. "Look! To keep the livestock safe!"

Grimmjow smirks at the scribbled picture; just good enough to know what it is… Picasso his precious treasure isn't. At the snort of laughter, Ichigo punches Grimmjow's shoulder indignantly while still keeping it semi-playful. The larger man winces, yet says nothing about his wife's rough play. Dinner is approaching quickly and Grimmjow is beginning to get hungry, the thought of those large fish Ichigo caught cooked with steamed vegetables and wine… it's almost making him drool.

"Come on, Ichigo; let's see if dinner is finished."

"Shouldn't I figure out who will deal with these tasks? Can I do some of them myself?"

"… We'll talk about it later."

Ichigo frowns, wondering if that's code for 'not on your life'. He has a sneaking suspicion it is, but the orange head isn't about to say anything on it right now. Maybe if Grimmjow is nice and fed, he'll be content enough to agree! The two head to the dining hall, realizing that others have been pulled there as well. Ichigo didn't catch enough from everyone, but that doesn't matter. The servants went and gathered even more from the marketplace, fixing a dinner to feed everyone within the castle. This is the first time Ichigo has sat within the dining hall for a meal, the area so large he can almost picture the parties that should fill them. The table is long, Grimmjow seating Ichigo beside him without a word. The orange head wonders how he's supposed to reach everything served, yet the question is answered when the food is brought out. They set the same mixture of plates within reach at each section of the table, giving everyone the chance to retrieve what they want.

"Grimmjow, who are those people?"

"The rulers of the larger kingdoms I conquered," he shrugs. "They get together each month and tell me how the kingdoms fair. Not all of them do this; however, these are just the few that opted not to be fair game in the future. I don't attack them again; because I already own the land they're on. The others keep beefing up their security and armies, thinking they'll defeat me one of these days… those are my favorites."

Ichigo nods, sending a wary gaze to the crowned men sitting cattycorner from him at Grimmjow's left. One of them is looking so intently at Ichigo, the orange head is too nervous to eat anything. Grimmjow notes this, raising a brow in question. Before Ichigo can say anything of his discomfort, the tall young man speaks up.

"Your companion is utterly enchanting, my lord. What, might I ask, is his name?"

"Ichigo," Grimmjow frowns.

"Ah, Ichigo… how lovely. And when, might I be so bold, will you grow tired of him?"

"He's my wife," the warrior growls out.

All chatter stops at the snarl, eyes darting to make sure they're not the target of Grimmjow's ire. Ichigo just starts sinking in his chair, face scarlet in embarrassment. Why can't he sit and have a normal dinner? Why can't he have a normal day? It seems no matter how hard Ichigo tries, he's targeted by some pervert or another. Forget that the moment he woke up the other day he was targeted by an asshole that deemed him worthy enough to be a treasure; he has to deal with idiots on a daily basis! Ichigo gives Grimmjow a sidelong glance… well… at least that asshole is _his_ asshole. Ichigo is thankful Grimmjow doesn't like to share, as he doesn't like being harassed by men that think they're all that. Really, how much more arrogant can a mortal get? They rule over the land as king and they think every submissive should spread their legs for them. Ichigo scoffs and begins eating; missing the smirk Grimmjow sends him at the sound of his annoyance.

* * *

There we have it! Yet another chapter for this fic =D I hope you enjoyed it! I think I'll work on a fanfic today, but I'm not sure. I'm watchign NCIS right now... I love Abbey! I think she should get with Mcgee, they're perfect for each other. Anyway, that's beside the point ;p The fic I'm working on with either be Jail Bird, my new one, or a request. I started a request the other day =)

Ichi: Just finish Jail Bird! XD

Grimm: He only wants you to work on that one, because he's dominating the fic right now. *rolls eyes*

Ichi: I'm fucking awesome! XD

Grimm: You sound like Shiro.

Ichi: ... *punches Grimmjow in jaw and storms off*

Grimm: Why the hell do you do this! You let him off the leash and then he refuses to learn his place! DX

Vae: ... *shrugs with feigned innocence*


	13. Chapter 13

Countdown: **2**

A new chapter! Yeah! XD I don't have a title for the new request I'm working on, but I finished chapter one! I'm still thinking it over. I also finished the next chapter of Jail Bird, it's coming down to the end. I just have to figure out how to end it =) I'm also contemplating posting one of the new fics I've been working on, however Bleach Bait is two updates to being finished so we'll stick with this until it's done XD

Shiro: Awe, but I wanna read a fic where I dominate the world!

Vae: *blinks* ... Shiro... no one is stupid enough to write a fic like that.

Shiro: *sulks*

Ichi: I'm glad we're finishing up this one! XD

Grimm: ... I don't even want to know. *sighs*

Ichi: You're just jealous I own your ass in this fic! D=

Grimm: You didn't read the beginning of this update, did you? =3

Ichi: ... Why? =(

Grimm: Just read it. We'll see just who owns who's ass. XD

* * *

Chapter 13

Ichigo paces nervously within the confines of his room. He has to admit… he really likes Grimmjow. He'll never find it within himself to betray the other, not to mention in the medieval days a marriage was everlasting, so Ichigo has decided to curb his sexual interest in the warrior tonight. In all honesty, Ichigo was shocked Grimmjow's been so soft with him. He really never saw the godling as anything but tyrannical. Now that he knows he can push Grimmjow to the very brink of brutality and come out with nothing more than a tongue lashing, Ichigo thinks he can trust the man enough to indulge his libido. After all, Grimmjow is a very sexy man and Ichigo is a rather horny nineteen year old.

"Why are you still up?" Grimmjow asks. "You're not still worrying about that list of stuff, are you? I told you after dinner not to fret, I told Gin to give each task to the ones better equipped for them. Even though keeping you out of trouble was a nice thought at the time…"

Ichigo cuts him off with a kiss, surprising Grimmjow as he waits for the other to take over. When nothing comes, the orange head pulls away uncertainly. Cyan orbs are large in shock, Grimmjow staring at Ichigo for a long moment before his lips part to speak.

"… You're not sleep walking, are you?" he asks.

"No," Ichigo frowns. "I know about medieval marriages, they end with death and nothing else. Besides, you've been rather good to me and… well… I'm not immune to the temptations of a nicely sculpted body…"

"Works for me," Grimmjow smirks. "Oh! Whatever happens in the bedroom, stays in the bedroom. Got that?"

Ichigo nods, loosely wrapping his arms around Grimmjow's neck. The larger male draws him closer, making certain their hips touch, and renews the kiss with a bit more eagerness. Ichigo immediately knows why the rule is placed, as a loud purr vibrates through Grimmjow's chest. It tingles along Ichigo's palms, the orange head fighting to stifle his snickers. He's unceremoniously shoved onto the bed when Grimmjow notices the struggle, the blue haired man crawling atop him with a feral gleam to his eyes. Ichigo shivers in excitement as he reaches for his spouse, pulling him toward him for another kiss.

Grimmjow pulls his shirt off, the room quickly heating up in the face of such lust. Ichigo yanks his dress over his head, for once thankful his outfit was so simple. Once nude, Grimmjow slides his body along Ichigo's after tossing the sheet and furs aside. He delights in the firm thighs he's settled between, running his hands along Ichigo's sweat slicked abs. Ichigo sucks in a sharp breath, arching his back and gripping blue locks. Grimmjow groans at the feel of Ichigo tugging lightly on his hair, grinding their hips together to reward his lover. The orange head bucks against him, moaning quietly at the friction. Kisses are rained down upon Ichigo's neck and torso, Grimmjow stopping to nip and suck at the orange head's collarbone to leave a mark.

"Mm," Ichigo hums.

They rock together for a long moment, letting the tension within them build, and then Grimmjow taps his fingers against Ichigo's kiss swollen lips. The orange head takes them into his warm mouth, sucking on three digits as amber eyes darkened with lust gaze upon Grimmjow. Unable to hold back much longer, Grimmjow takes his fingers from Ichigo and spreads the orangette's legs a bit more. He pushes one finger past Ichigo's tight ring of muscle, the orange head cringing in pain as it's worked in. When the second joins the first, a hiss sounds from the smaller male.

"You okay?" Grimmjow wonders cautiously.

Ichigo nods quickly, biting on his fist to stifle his yelps. Grimmjow can see a few tears fighting to fall from Ichigo's eyes, stretching the other carefully. The last he wants is to break his newest treasure, after all. He locates Ichigo's prostate, the smaller male crying out in ecstasy. As soon as he's positive he's stretched Ichigo well enough, Grimmjow spits in his palm to coat his erection.

"Next time… we're using oil… or something," Ichigo gasps out when he's penetrated.

"It'll get better."

"If I didn't… know that… I wouldn't let you… continue!"

Grimmjow seats himself inside Ichigo, stilling in order for his wife to get used to his size. Ichigo pushes back on his staff, moaning wantonly and prompting Grimmjow to move. His pace is hard and quick; Ichigo's nails digging into his shoulders as he tries to hold on. Their bodies move together in sync, the light sheen of sweat helping them glide along one another. On Grimmjow's penetration, Ichigo was split a little too much from his girth. The blood acts as lube to ease the act. Though it was painful at the time, Ichigo is drowning in enough pleasure that it's been dulled.

"Oh god!" Ichigo breathes. "Mm… h-harder… almost…"

"You're so sexy when you're lost to pleasure," Grimmjow purrs. "I never thought you to be one for such a carnal emotion, but lust suits you. Must've gotten it from your mom."

"Don't… ah… talk about my m-mom when you're… hah… fucking me," Ichigo snaps.

Grimmjow grins at the flash of temper, pushing harder in a desperate attempt to reach ecstasy. Ichigo tightens his legs around Grimmjow's waist, clinging to the muscled body over him. He can feel the coil tightly wound within his gut reaching a breaking point, his back arching as it finally snaps. A tremor travels the length of Ichigo, a silent whisper of Grimmjow's name, and their stomachs and chests are coated with his release. Grimmjow groans at the feeling of Ichigo's inner walls clamping down around his straining erection, the blue haired man setting his forehead on Ichigo's. Unbidden and stronger than he's ever experienced, his release floods Ichigo and makes Grimmjow see white. They stay like that for a moment, trying to catch their breath in the face of such overwhelming ecstasy.

"So much better than a quick lay," Grimmjow sighs.

"It better be," Ichigo mutters. "I don't want you validating cheating on me."

Grimmjow laughs, reaching for the sheet on the floor. Ichigo uses Grimmjow's shirt to clean up, uncaring that the other is sending him an indignant glare. The minute he's relatively clean, Ichigo curls up on his side and snuggles into his pillow. Grimmjow smirks at the other, draping the sheet over him and wiping himself down as well. He spoons his spouse, careful not to wake the snoozing orangette, and sighs in content.

Ichigo wakes the next morning with a pain in his lower back, the orange head lying on his stomach and refusing to move. Grimmjow is just stirring beside him, stretching with a pleased hum when he finds his wife still in bed. He rolls over on his stomach and rubs Ichigo's back affectionately.

"Are you okay?" he wonders.

"I hurt," Ichigo mutters into his pillow. "I would appreciate a nice hot bath… and someone to carry me around for the rest of today."

"I can handle the first one, but unless you're planning on sitting beside my throne all day the second will be difficult."

"Bring my books and we have a deal."

Grimmjow chuckles, scooping Ichigo into his arms after getting out of bed. He heads to the bathroom, glad Sun-Sun has gotten his schedule down to the point she can draw his bath moments before he wakes. It's so hard to find help like her these days.

Ichigo lounges beside Grimmjow's throne after his bath, his satchel of books beside him and one opened on his lap. His husband is snoozing in the tall backed throne, a light purr rippling through his body just loud enough for Ichigo to hear. The day is slow and the blue haired male has been itching to head out for another kingdom's downfall, yet he chooses to stay for now. Ichigo needs him and he's quite content learning about the orange head… especially now that he's opened the door to sex.

Ichigo yawns and stretches, wincing at the pain in his lower back, and then goes back to his spell book. He's reading about fire now, eager to soak up as much knowledge as possible. Just as Ichigo is about to turn the page, his attention is caught by a noise in the corridors. He turns toward the entrance, surprised to see a man in armor marching in. The man seems evil almost, his brown eyes scanning the area with a scrutiny that pisses Ichigo off. Everything about him screams aggression and temper.

"Can I help you?" Ichigo questions.

"I'm looking for my son," the man states. "It's a good thing I stopped by, too. How on earth does that boy get anything done when he's asleep on the throne? Where is this extraordinary treasure he's found? I demand to see it right now."

"You'll demand nothing from me," Ichigo scowls. "Leave if you're going to be an insufferable piece of shit! I don't have to take your ill manners."

"How dare you speak of me in such a way, you little tart!" the man snaps. "You think too highly of yourself! You are my son's plaything, his whore, nothing more! You're lucky I even allow you to speak to me at all!"

Grimmjow is startled awake by the ensuing argument, his hand dropping down to pet Ichigo's hair in an attempt to soothe his temper. Once he's awake enough, he notices the man at the entrance… and groans in irritation.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" he sighs.

"I've come to see you're newest treasure, my son."

"And what would be the reason for you pissing off Ichigo?"

"He's not worthy of even being in my presence, let alone speaking to me like some worthless mortal. You should keep a muzzle on your bitches."

"That's it! I'm gonna toast him!" Ichigo shouts.

Grimmjow notes where the spell book is opened to, immediately yanking Ichigo up onto his lap to keep him from casting against Aries. Though the more petite male struggles and curses, Grimmjow holds him still.

"Father, this is Ichigo… my wife," Grimmjow sighs. "Ichigo, that's my father… you know… the god of war?"

"The god of war can kiss my ass!" Ichigo bites out. "I'm nobody's fucking whore!"

Grimmjow smirks at the little firecracker on his lap, his father's shocked expression enough to make this all worthwhile. Although, he wouldn't give up Ichigo for anything. He's really the most fascinating and precious treasure he's come across. That's another reason he hasn't gone out to conquer yet, he's afraid he'll never come across a treasure as perfect as his wife.

"Grimmjow, where's this new treasure of yours?"

"On my lap," Grimmjow grins happily. "My wife is my newest treasure… the child of Aphrodite."

"Ah, like father like son," the god laughs. "She is a rather beautiful creature, isn't she? And I see her child is nearly an exact copy of her… perfect. I would like to take this treasure with me…"

"Ichigo is my wife!" Grimmjow growls out. "He belongs to me; no one is to touch him. Just like all my other treasures, only far more important."

"At least bring him to the solstice."

"… I'll think about it."

"And I do hope he won't be a big enough distraction that you'll forget who you are. I am hoping to see a few more of your great conquests. Can you do that with a wife to tend to?"

Grimmjow scoffs, rolling his eyes at the question. Ichigo doesn't need tended to, he needs feared. His beautiful wife is not a pushover, Ichigo's already proven that. He's bested Hallibel, Gin, Grimmjow, and even mouthed off to the god of war. Ichigo is moved back to his cushions carefully, set down to continue reading as Grimmjow walks toward his father. Aries is always trying to talk Grimmjow into giving up his treasures as an offering, hoping to collect them for himself, but this is the first time he's been so forward about it. Perhaps he felt the pull of the Hyogoku, but it doesn't change the fact Grimmjow would go up against his father's army to keep his wife beside him.

"Grimm?" Ichigo calls. "Where are you going?"

"I'll be right back, baby," he smirks. "I'm just gonna show my dad out."

Ichigo frowns, yet says nothing more. He stays put, watching Grimmjow disappear through the doorway with Aries. Grimmjow is visibly pissed at the assumption he'd give up his wife, so Aries is careful not to pet his child the wrong way any further. Even he isn't immune to Grimmjow's temper.

"There's a new kingdom to the south of here," he comments. "Their king is a warlord and aspiring god… he needs put down quickly. If he's allowed to grow any stronger, it's likely the mortals will suffer more than need be."

"I'll deal with it," Grimmjow grins viciously.

"Careful, boy, this one employs an alchemist versed in some nasty curses. Even we aren't out of their reach… even you can be harmed."

"Don't worry, I'll handle it."

Aries leaves and Grimmjow stands there a moment longer. It's not unusual for him to be assigned the downfall of some kingdoms, but this time Grimmjow can't help being annoyed. He doesn't want to lay siege to some palace, he wants to stay home and cuddle with his wife. With a sigh, the godling returns to his lover. He finds Ichigo snoozing against the side of his throne, wrapped up in a blanket and curled on his cushions.

Grimmjow lifts Ichigo into his arms and heads back to the bedroom, stopped only by Kisuke and Yorouchi. They're quiet, though their eyes follow the other with suspicion, and Grimmjow gives them a simple nod in greeting. As he lays Ichigo upon the bed, the orange head stirs. With a quiet groan that could almost be considered a whine, Ichigo opens bleary amber orbs.

"Ah, there's my precious wife," Grimmjow chuckles. "I'll… uh… be gone tomorrow. I need to help out my parents. You'll be able to keep yourself occupied?"

Ichigo nods, a frown already on his lips. He's not sure why Grimmjow needs to leave, though he has a good idea. The orange head doesn't want Grimmjow hurting people; however there isn't much he can do to prevent it. Besides, with his husband gone… Ichigo rules the roost! This might actually be fun!

* * *

Just so everyone knows, I didn't add the solstice in here. I might make a one-shot for that, but I'm not sure. =) I hope you enjoyed the GrimmIchi goodness I threw in, I know you've all been waiting for it ;p I don't know what I'll be working on today, maybe I'll add little tags on my dolls... not sure. Anyway, off to do something productive!

Ichi: ... Shut up Grimmjow. *pouts*

Grimm: Now, now, Kitten, I thought you liked this fic ;p

Ichi: I liked it before this chapter. T^T

Shiro: I ain't even in it no more, how ya think I feel? *pout*

Ichi: Want to take my place?

Shiro: I wish! XD

Grimm: Head over to Jail Bird, Shiro. That's never gonna happen here. =(

Shiro: T^T


	14. Chapter 14

Countdown: **1**

One last update and then Bleach Bait is all over T^T I know, it's so sad. Ichigo is off sulking in a corner somewhere, he thinks I won't allow him to be badass in anymore fics. Don't let him in on it, but that's not true in the least. I happen to like kickass asssassin Ichi ;p In fact, in 'Born to the Shadows' he gets to adopt that profession once more! XD i didn't write anything today, sorry, but I did start making a Naruto doll! And I also managed to sew a tag onto my other 19 dolls. 19 seems like such a big number T^T

Shiro: Where's Ichi? *scratches head in confusion*

Vae: Off sulking, don't you read the damn notes at the beginning? *glares as dark cloud gathers and eyes glint in anger*

Shiro: ... *sweatdrop*

Grimm: Geez, Shiro. You're just not making any friends today.

Shiro: *pouts* I think I'll go join Ichi in that corner. *walks off in defeat*

Grimm: You did that on purpose, didn't you? =p

Vae: I don't like when Ichi's all by himself, it worries me. ^^;

Grimm: Why should it worry you?

Vae: It gives him unsupervised time to think about revenge.

* * *

Chapter 14

Ichigo wakes early the next morning, hoping to spend a bit of time with his husband before the blue haired godling heads out. Unfortunately, Grimmjow isn't in bed when Ichigo rises… nor is he within the area. The warrior has already headed out. Ichigo pouts as he gets ready for the day, dressing in pants and one of Grimmjow's shirts just to be difficult this early. Not many in the palace are up at this time; however the orange head knows at least two people that will be quite lively so early. He heads to the tower his parents were given to stay in, grinning widely at the sound of crashing furniture and shouting that carries all the way to the bottom of the steps. Eager to spend quality time with his parents, Ichigo takes the stairs two at a time and throws their door open.

"I didn't mean it like that!" Kisuke shouts from his position behind a table on its side. "You're utterly beautiful and look far better than when I first met you."

"So I was ugly back then? Well I'm _so_ sorry you had to settle for a woman on a level lower than you! You son of a bitch!" Yorouchi snarls. "The minute you show that pretty little blonde head of yours, I'm gonna tear it off your damn shoulders!"

"I didn't call you fat, my beautiful cherry blossom," Kisuke begs. "I had only commented on the fact your outfit seemed a little tight for a married woman…"

"Never a dull moment with you guys," Ichigo laughs happily. "Can I still your argument for another time? I want to spend the day with my wonderful family."

All comments are dropped… along with knives in Yorouchi's case… and the two hurry to embrace their child. Grimmjow has been very possessive of Ichigo, even a bit jealous of those he shows attention to, and the two had been wary of coming to close. They know Shiro took Ichigo's marriage badly, especially when his newly reunited twin was carted off again. He wanted to join them, yet he has responsibilities in that kingdom.

"Oh, my baby boy!" the purpled haired woman coos. "I missed you so much!"

"What trouble have you been in?" Kisuke chuckles. "I heard rumors you bested Hallibel. That's something to be proud of, my boy, she's not easy to get one over on."

"So I heard. I've been practicing the spells in that book, I've already read it all," Ichigo smiles. "Fire was difficult, but I managed to master it easy enough."

"Let's go for a walk!" Yorouchi chirps. "I need to get outside before I go stir-crazy."

Ichigo stops a moment and looks over his mother's outfit, frowning a moment at the tight cloth that reminds him of a sexy spy in the movies of his other world. No wonder Kisuke was worried, she'll attract far too much attention with her hourglass form and ample breasts _without_ a tight outfit like that. Ichigo scowls at his mother, who responds with an innocently raised brow.

"Go change, mom," Ichigo sighs. "And I'm gonna burn that outfit when we get back! You're a mother, for crying out loud! You can't wear shit like that; it'll scar me for life!"

"… Fine," she sulks.

The two wait downstairs for her to join them, Kisuke relieved his son spoke up as well. Yorouchi could never raise a hand to Ichigo, but she's more than happy to knock Kisuke about for no reason at all.

Once they're joined by the exotic assassin, they head outside to take in the town. Though he wants nothing more than to spend a bunch of gold at the bakery again, Ichigo decides to look a little further down the lane… toward the gates. He can see the chicken coops and barns being erected, the animals gathered behind fences until they can be placed within their new shelters. It warms Ichigo's heart to see the happy faces of the townspeople, all of them glad to have a way to keep their animals safe. A few stop what they're doing to wave to Ichigo, the orange head returning it with a wide grin.

"This isn't so bad," Ichigo sighs out. "I mean, I was upset at the beginning… but this really isn't as bad as I thought it would be. Grimmjow is so good to me and I… I think I love him. I wish I could've told him before he left."

"Ah, honey, take it from me… When it comes to men, keep them guessing. Once they think the chase is over, they won't spoil you anymore… they'll just start pissing you off," Yorouchi states.

Kisuke seems to wilt at the comment, a bright blush dusting the bridge of his nose. Ichigo chuckles, almost purring when Yorouchi drapes an arm around his shoulders and pulls him close. The orange haired male lets his eyes search the area, drifting to the baker a moment. A slight frown touches the corner of his lips, yet the 'queen' of Grimmjow's domain forces it away. He doesn't like the way the baker spoke of Grimmjow, however he can't deny these people their own opinions. Grimmjow doesn't seem to care what they think of him, so Ichigo won't either… well… not much.

"I hope Grimmjow is okay," Ichigo sighs. "I want him to come home to me… I want to follow him and help him with these new spells I've learned…"

"You must never let personal wants get in the way of your decisions," Kisuke scolds. "Magic is to help others, but the more power you have the more you need to think about an action before doing it. Magic is the essence of balance, it should be used to keep balance… not give you what you want. You should protect those weaker than you, not someone stronger. If Grimmjow isn't capable of taking care of himself, that's not your problem."

"So… when can I protect him?" Ichigo wonders in confusion.

"Don't listen to that blowhard," Yorouchi snorts derisively. "Ask him how many times he bent the rules of magic to help me when I didn't need it."

"That's totally different! And you did need my help!"

"Listen, Berry Pie, Grimmjow is the one you love and if you feel you need to protect him go with your gut. It's never steered you wrong before and I taught you how to heed it well. Never use magic unless it's to protect someone else or yourself, never kill with it unless it can't be helped. Your soul is pure, untainted with greed and ambition… I'm so proud of that fact."

"You'll know when it's okay to use your abilities, Berry Pie," Kisuke sighs in relent. "Just remember, the more power you have the more responsibility it comes with."

Ichigo nods his understanding, letting his hand drift to the necklace before he drops it back down. Grimmjow warned him not to let others know he has the Hogyoku, so he'll keep it secret for as long as possible. In a way, it warms the youth's heart knowing Grimmjow didn't take advantage of Ichigo's abilities. He knows it's because the other doesn't want Ichigo in harm's way, yet he can't help being irritated at the same time. He could've helped Grimmjow. Even if he didn't apply his magic, he's a trained assassin! Now Grimmjow is heading straight into the range of a powerful alchemist, one that just may be too much for him.

"I can't do this anymore!" Ichigo shouts. "I have to go after him!"

He bolts for the gates, stopped only by his mother. Too used to his energetic and slightly spastic behavior, she had reached out to grab his shoulder without looking. Ichigo groans as he's pulled back to her side, fidgeting in irritation. He can help Grimmjow; he needs to be with his husband!

"Ichigo, you need to be here with your people," Kisuke frowns. "This is where you're most needed. If you leave, you'll be leaving these people vulnerable to attack from all sorts of enemies. Grimmjow will return soon, he's never been defeated before… trust in your spouse."

"… Okay… I'll stay here."

Ichigo absolutely hates when his parents make sense, however he can't argue with that logic. Grimmjow protects the people that live beneath his rule, he appointed Ichigo with that responsibility when he left and the orange head won't let him down.

Miles away, Grimmjow travels with his usual group of demi-gods. He's nervous, but not because of the upcoming battle… he lives for that. It's because Ichigo is home alone now. The only thing protecting his wife from being taken away is the alchemist and his wife. Grimmjow is putting a lot of trust into the two new residences in his kingdom.

"Don't worry about that little bitch, he's as tough as they come," Nnoitra scoffs. "I'm more worried about the town. By the time we get back, you'll have to calm down a riot looking to throw their 'queen' out."

"He's not that bad," Grimmjow smirks with a chuckle. "I'm just… I didn't want to leave him alone so soon. What if he gets hurt, or wanders out of the town gates…"

"It isn't like you to worry," Ulquiorra sighs. "You need to keep your mind on the battle ahead."

Grimmjow frowns, yet says nothing more. He knows where his mind should be, yet there's this nagging feeling in his gut. If Ichigo isn't taken from him while he's not there, there's a chance the other will leave of his own accord. Not to mention, Aries might stop by again to kidnap his precious treasure.

"He's been acting odd lately," Grimmjow mutters. "Do you think he's warming up to me?"

"For the love of the gods!" Hallibel huffs. "Grimmjow, if that little assassin hasn't left by now, he's not leaving at all! It's not like he couldn't have just run off on the way here and survived on his own!"

"… Assassin? He's a princess."

"I know the way he moves and I'm well aware of who his mother is, not to mention the customs of her clan," the blonde waves off. "She's a Shihoin. They train the women unable to give birth. Ichigo is a submissive, a woman essentially, and she trained him in the ways of her clan. It's easy to see; only a Shihoin could've tricked me so easily."

"Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that," Nnoitra cackles.

Hallibel immediately punches the lanky man, smirking in satisfaction when Nnoitra barely dodges getting run over by the wagon. Grimmjow relaxes a bit at the information given. He knew there was something different about Ichigo, yet he wanted to believe his wife was controllable… fat chance of that now. With a heavy sigh, the group continues on with the hopes of defeating whatever evil lies ahead.

Ichigo lies in the grass within the gardens, sighing happily as he watches the clouds change shapes. He had spent the entire day with Kisuke and Yorouchi, finally convincing his mother to track down Grimmjow and watch over him. Kisuke is more than capable of taking care of everything within the kingdom, especially with Ichigo's talents there to assist.

"My queen," someone comments from the doorway.

"Yes?" Ichigo wonders as he rolls onto his stomach. "What can I do for you?"

The intruder is a farmer, one of medium height and strong build. Ichigo climbs to his feet, tilting his head curiously as the man paces a few feet from touching distance. When he says nothing more, Ichigo sits on a nearby bench to wait until he calms down.

"Thank you for your patience, my queen," the farmer sighs. "I have a slight problem that I would like a bit of assistance in. You see, my daughter is missing. Her mother died during childbirth and I fear she became a Pontianak..."

"A creature of Malaysian myth," Ichigo gasps. "How awful!"

"I think she may have been drawn to our daughter, they were always very close. Her mother isn't the same anymore, though, and I fear she may kill our child. I need you to get her back before it's too late."

"Don't worry, I'll get her back!" Ichigo says in determination. "Just show me where she disappeared and I'll track her down."

"Are you sure you want to take care of it yourself, my queen?"

"Yeah, it'll be no problem."

Uncertain, the man nods and leads Ichigo to the edge of the forest he had found his daughter's slipper. Ichigo gives orders to the man, telling him to go back and tell Kisuke where he's at in case he needs a rescue. Afterward, the orange head saunters into the forest. The panicked girl left a rather good trail, snapped branches and footprints in the earth showing Ichigo the way, and the orange head touches nothing as he creeps through the foliage. Something is bothering him about this trail, however. He can't put his finger on it, but it's something important.

It doesn't take long to find the girl he searches for, the orange head crouching in a tree with his jaw dropped in shock. After a moment his brow ticks in irritation… the girl is a teenager and she's run off to be with her boyfriend.

"Are you fucking kidding me!" he snaps.

The two jump in surprise, looking up to see Ichigo's angry amber eyes. With a fluid sort of grace, he dives from the tree and lands on the ground carefully. The two stand in a hurry, torn between bowing before their queen and dying of mortification.

"Explain, now," Ichigo snaps. "And make it good! I was all eager to meet a Pontianak, damn it!"

"Um… m-my queen," the girl stammers. "My f-father doesn't approve of my choice in husbands. I just wanted to be with the man I love, that's all. I'm sorry I worried everyone."

"You're going back home, bring your boyfriend," Ichigo huffs in disappointment.

The two youths are Ichigo's age, both hanging their heads as they follow the queen back. The girl's father is waiting with Kisuke, the blonde man bending the air to his will in boredom as the leaves dance for him. When the farmer sees the teens together, he's less than happy. The only thing keeping him from attacking the male with his daughter is Ichigo's scowl, the orange head points to the ground in irritation. All of them take a seat in the grass as Ichigo paces, Kisuke abandoning the leaves to watch the unfolding explosion.

"I understand you're upset about who your daughter has decided to spend her life with, but it's out of your hands. If you keep trying to separate them, you'll only succeed in pushing her away for good," Ichigo scolds. "The best you can do is allow her to be with whom she wants and watch over her as you always have."

"But he's a thug!"

"I am not, I was protecting my sister," the young man states. "That man was threatening to harm her, I just got him first!"

"Enough!" Ichigo snaps. "I will not have this! This is petty! The guy makes her happy; you want her to be happy don't you?"

The farmer sighs in relent, giving up on his argument in the face of such an aggressive queen. Ichigo really is quite wise, but that doesn't usually show through his childish irritation. He wanted to see a Pontianak, which has petulance seeping through his every word. With a large grin, Kisuke walks Ichigo back to the palace.

* * *

I loved writing the beginning of this chapter XD Kisuke and Yorouchi are fun to work with ;p In case you're wondering, I do believe a Pontianak is the spirit of a woman that died during childbirth and couldn't cross over. It's been a while since I wrote this and I didn't look it up again, but that's what I think it was. Anyway, I'm gonna finish watching NCIS and then watch the 100th episode of Psych! I'll most likely watch Bleach tonight as well, although it's been increasingly difficult to get to sleep before 2 in the morning ^^;

Shiro: Who needs sleep anyway?

Grimm: I don't know, I like a nice catnap every now and then. =3

Shiro: I much rather be active in bed, if ya know what I mean! XD

Ichi: *slaps Shiro upside head* No one cares what you prefer, you perv.

Shiro: Grimm! Ichi's goin' Gibbs on me! DX

Grimm: *shakes head* Sometimes you guys act like such children.

Vae: You know you love it ;p


	15. Chapter 15

Countdown: **0**

Here you go, the last chapter of 'Bleach Bait'. I didn't write all day, I was too busy crocheting =) I made the pieces to 3 Naruto dolls, most of them for a 4th, and a small backpack for my Kindle when I listen to the radio cleaning ;p I think that was pretty productive =D As for this update, this is the chapter Ichigo's been so eager about... making his lover look bad just seems to be his favorite passtime XD

Ichi: Damn right! I suffer enough of his arrogance, I deserve this! =D

Grimm: I didn't do anything! Well... lately.

Shiro: I'm sure we'll piss 'im off 'ventually... we're just lucky like that ;p

Grimm: ... Yeah, you have a point. =(

* * *

Chapter 15

It's late at night that Ichigo is startled awake by a ruckus downstairs. Though he's reluctant to get out of bed, the orange head forces himself to his feet and trudges downstairs. He's wearing one of Grimmjow's shirts, as he was unable to sleep without the scent of the other man around him. With a large yawn and a stretch, the sleepy male steps into the main hall… and is shocked to full alert. Grimmjow's group is back and Grimmjow is lying on the cold floor unconscious.

"What happened?" Ichigo gasps.

"My queen, you should not be out of bed at this time," Hallibel comments. "Come, I'll return you to your room."

"No! I want to know what happened! What's wrong with my husband? Will he be okay?"

"It's… too early to tell," Yorouchi sighs. "He was hit by a nasty curse."

Ichigo's heart plummets, tears building in his eyes against his will. He moves toward the blue haired man, yet Hallibel keeps a firm hold on his upper arm. Ichigo's temper erupts, those teary amber pools hardening like ice. He rips his arm away from Hallibel, turning on those around him… all of which are at a loss for what to do.

"Mom, go get dad," he snaps. "Nnoitra, carry Grimmjow to the bedroom. Hallibel, take the girls and gather any herbs you can find within the kitchen, my father may need them. The rest of you, go get some sleep you look like shit."

"I should go with you, I need to keep track of Grimmjow's condition," Szayel states.

"You've done enough for tonight," Ichigo presses. "You'll be of no use at all without sleep. My father is more than capable of figuring this curse out. Thank you for the offer, though."

With that, everyone heads to complete the tasks given them. Ichigo follows Nnoitra to the room, fretting over Grimmjow's obviously bad health. A smog of black trails along his skin, the only indication that he suffers from a curse. Yorouchi drags Kisuke in just as they're setting Grimmjow on the bed. The alchemist was still mostly asleep as he stumbled along behind his wife, yet upon seeing Grimmjow's state and Ichigo's expression it's easy for him to wake fully.

"Dad," Ichigo says almost desperately. "Please, help him."

Kisuke steps closer, eyeing the warrior upon the bed. He hums to himself in thought, moving closer and checking vitals. The feel of the curse is familiar, but the power that created it is unforgettable… Kisuke knows the caster. Though one may not think it, knowing the caster helps a lot. There was a single curse this man loved to use, one that Kisuke is afraid he can't break… not without killing the man that casted it.

"Ichigo… I can't do anything more than make him comfortable," Kisuke sighs in regret. "There's only one way to stop this curse, but it involves the death of the caster. Jin Kariya loves this particular curse, as he's convinced he's immortal and no one can defeat him. I was his classmate when we were learning from our Alchemist master… he murdered our master with this very curse."

"I don't understand," Ichigo frowns. "There has to be another way…"

"No, Berry Pie," Yorouchi sighs. "I'm sorry, but if there was another way your father would've known it. Jin Kariya is an Alchemist many have sought to destroy and none have succeeded. We lost a lot of Shihoin to his spells. I would've taken the task upon my own shoulders, but the rest of the clan feared I wouldn't make it. They couldn't chance losing their leader."

"I'm truly sorry, Ichigo," Kisuke whispers.

"When Grimmjow passes… the kingdom will be yours to rule, my queen," Nnoitra murmurs sadly.

Ichigo is left standing alone beside Grimmjow's bedside as the others leave, the tears falling freely now that he's by himself. Slowly, the orange haired male crawls into bed beside his spouse. Gripping Grimmjow's shirt in one hand, Ichigo cries into his chest until he dozes off.

Ichigo wakes before sunrise, the feel of Grimmjow beneath his cheek almost soothing him… until he remembers the other's state. Ichigo sits up and runs his fingers through sweat soaked locks, the other cringing in pain as the curse wracks his body. Ichigo leans down and kisses Grimmjow's forehead.

"Don't worry, Grimm… I'm gonna save you," he whispers.

Determined to get his husband back, Ichigo sneaks up to the tower his parents stay in and steals some of Yorouchi's clothing. It's the uniform of a Shihoin assassin, designed much like the outfit of the ninjas of old. Ichigo pulls the face mask over his head and grabs a couple thin swords, racing out into the night without a second thought. With the power of the Hogyoku and his surprising shot up to Alchemy master, Ichigo will bring Jin Kariya down for good!

The kingdom Jin Kariya is helping isn't too far from Grimmjow's, which tells Ichigo this placement was done on purpose… they were looking to hurt his husband. Without a sound, Ichigo darts into the palace and keeps to the shadows. He may have left early in the morning, but when he arrived night had fallen once more. It's okay, though… he loves the dark.

"Have you heard news on my attackers?" a brunette wonders.

"I have. It would seem Grimmjow has fallen terribly ill and his recently acquired queen has gone missing," a white haired man grins arrogantly. "I should think it won't be long before he passes on and his kingdom is without a king. You can swoop in and claim his lands for your own."

"I'm surprised Aries took the bait so readily, Kariya. You would think he'd be more concerned with his strongest child."

"True, King Aizen. Unfortunately for him, I'm rather versed in manipulation."

"We make a wonderful team."

The two men laugh, sending chills along Ichigo's spine. It also serves to set his temper on high, however, and the orange head slips a couple knives from his pouch. With a quick snap of his wrist, the knife is sent sailing through the room. Ichigo is moving just after setting the blade loose, glancing only for a second as the knife embeds itself in the base of Aizen's skull. The brunette falls to the ground, life retreating from his eyes quickly. The shock on Kariya's face tells Ichigo even he can be surprised. The siege was obviously expected, but Ichigo's intervention is decidedly not.

"Come out here and face me," Kariya snaps. "Who are you?"

Before Ichigo can back further into the darkness, Kariya dispels it and reveals him. The white haired man immediately recognizes the outfit, nervousness flowing through his features even as he readies himself. Ichigo draws the thin swords, setting them at his sides as he relaxes his stance.

"So, the Shihoin clan has sent yet another assassin to take me out," he smirks viciously. "I'll kill you just like I did them."

A spell of lightening is sent dancing toward Ichigo, the orange head wordlessly smacking it aside with one of his swords. Without another second between, Ichigo rushes forward toward the Alchemist. Kariya throws up a shield; however Ichigo cuts through it easily. The power of the Hogyoku tingles along Ichigo's skin, shielding him without a command to do so. He is a being of magic now, one immune to all spells. With a smirk hidden by his mask, the infuriated queen sends a roundhouse into Kariya's stomach. The palace lights up with the casted spells, the Alchemist trying his hardest to take down this new threat. The other Shihoin weren't as powerful as this one.

"Who are you?" Kariya shouts in desperation. "Why are you so much better than the others of your clan?"

"My name is Ichigo Shihoin," the assassin states proudly. "The child of Kisuke Urahara and Yorouchi Shihoin! Wife of Grimmjow Jaegerjaques. You tried to steal my husband from me by taking his life… now I'm gonna take yours."

The air around Ichigo crackles and snaps with his fury, those amber eyes so cold and deadly even his own parents wouldn't recognize him. Finally, Ichigo crosses his arms and draws his double blades across the air. There's a gasp, a shower of blood, and then… the end of Kariya. Careful that the man won't be coming back, Ichigo conjures a black fire that consumes every last indication Kariya's body was there. Ichigo looks around the palace a moment, frowning when the guards rush in at the utter silence left in the wake of the attack. Kariya doesn't like people in the way during his casting; he cares little for the lives of others, so they don't come until he calls. Ichigo stares them down, holding his blades at the ready.

Grimmjow gasps as he jerks into a sitting position, looking around in a daze. The lack of movement unnerves the warrior, his mind still on the battlefield though he sees his bedroom around him. The last thing he can remember is a cloud of black blindsiding him, and then the searing pain before everything went dark.

"My king!" Sun-Sun gasps in shock. "Y-you're awake! I'll go get Szayel!"

"Stop," Grimmjow states gruffly. "What happened? Where's my wife?"

Sun-Sun stops at that, sadness flowing through her at the mention of the missing Ichigo. Yorouchi walks in from behind her, stilling at the sight of Grimmjow sitting up. The curse is broken, which can only mean one thing.

"Just as I thought," Yorouchi sighs. "Crazy little brat… so much like his mother."

A fond smile touches her lips, telling the warrior her thoughts are on Ichigo. He beckons her closer, waiting until she's standing at attention beside his bed. Sun-Sun runs to get him a glass of water from the bathroom, hoping to clear his throat a bit. Once it's given to him, she rushes out to alert the rest of the palace.

"What happened?"

"You were hit by a horrible curse, my king," Yorouchi informs. "Kisuke looked you over when you were brought back. Ichigo took charge nicely in the face of such panic, as I taught him. The caster was Kisuke's classmate, one that killed their alchemy master with the same curse he used on you."

"And?"

"Kisuke couldn't break the curse. It could only be broken with the death of the caster. The Shihoin clan has tried for years to kill Kariya, but with no success," Yorouchi remarks. "Ichigo was in this room when we went to bed… he was gone before sunrise."

"What! Where's my wife?" Grimmjow panics. "Where's Ichigo?"

Yorouchi holds up a hand to calm him, a smirk playing along her features. She's worried for Ichigo, yet Grimmjow's returned health indicates Ichigo succeeded. What happened afterward is what she's worried about.

"I fear he's in the kingdom you recently laid siege to," she informs. "He went to kill Kariya and save your life. Your returned health tells me he was successful… in killing the alchemist. Anything that happened after that, I can't say."

Grimmjow forces himself to his feet, the weakness he feels quickly draining away. Yorouchi helps him dress, following him out of the room and down to the main hall. Kisuke and the others are already there, surprised at the warrior's movement. Without a word, Grimmjow moves outside and saddles up his horse. Hallibel, Nnoitra and Ulquiorra follow suit. When Grimmjow swings himself into the saddle, Yorouchi hopes up to sit behind him. He says nothing, urging his horse forward with single-minded determinedness.

"Grimmjow, where are we going?" Ulquiorra asks.

"To get my wife."

"You know where Ichigo is?" Nnoitra wonders. "I thought the little bitch ran away. He freaked out when I told him he would have to rule the kingdom when you died."

"You only served to make the decision for him," Yorouchi chastises. "Ichigo wanted to save Grimmjow, so he went to face Kariya alone."

The dark haired man shuts up after that, guilt all over his face as he glances sidelong at Grimmjow. The blue haired man doesn't even seem like he heard Nnoitra's confession, too absorbed in getting Ichigo back. The rest of the trip there is quiet and uneventful, worry about facing Aizen to get Ichigo overwhelming them.

Guards are posted all over the place when the group gets there. They stop their horses at the entrance to the village, the guards rushing over and drawing weapons. Yorouchi palms the knife at her thigh, golden eyes sharp and calculating. Grimmjow, however, sets a leveling gaze upon those threatening them.

"I'm not here to fight," he admits. "I've come to speak with your king."

"… Just speak?"

"Yes. I only wish to talk."

The guards lower their spears, allowing the group to pass even as they escort them. The group is taken into the lavish palace, and then the large throne room. The throne is set so the king's back is to them, blood staining the ivory floor to give testament to Ichigo's battle.

"Great King," Grimmjow murmurs humbly. "I have come to make a request. I have reason to believe my wife is within the walls of your kingdom. I'll leave you to your conquests if only you'll return him to me."

"Hmm," a rough tone hums in thought. "I suppose I can allow such a request… under one condition."

"… Tell me what I have to do."

"Tell me… you love me!" Ichigo states as he peeks over the top of the throne with a grin. "Because I certainly love you."

The group is struck speechless, Grimmjow sputtering in shock at the sight. Yorouchi is laughing to the side, snorting her humor as she holds her stomach. Grimmjow finally gathers his wits, grinning as he holds out his arms to the orange headed queen. Ichigo flips over the back of the throne, diving into his husband's arms. Grimmjow's grip is tight and unwilling to let go, his lips showering Ichigo with kisses. He really does love his wife and he'll be certain to show that later tonight. To think that his wife could lay siege to a kingdom alone and come out triumphant. As much as he wishes he'll never underestimate Ichigo again, Grimmjow is positive that's impossible. The orange head is full of surprises, always growing in ability and never using the maximum. What's not to love?

* * *

The end! XD I hope you liked it. That's all for this one, so I'll be going back to random updates and such =D I have no clue what will be updated next, maybe 'Asylum of the Damned'. I'm glad I was able to remind some of you about Psych's 100th episode, it was an awesome episode! Sort of upset the butler did it though, that's so... overdone =( They should've had the manager do it! XD Or the guy from Harvard, he was sort of an annoying character. Anyway, I'm off to finish watching the NCIS marathon =) I'm on the episode where Tony is infected with the bubonic plague! =D

Shiro: ... *face turned in thought*

Ichi: *hits Shiro quickly* Don't even! I know what's running through your sadistic mind! DX

Shiro: ... But... but... ya don' really know what I'm thinkin'. *pouts*

Ichi: I know you far better than you think. *rolls eyes*

Shiro: I'll just have ta figure out my plans later ;p

Ichi: Not if I lock you up in my mindscape! A long time of boredom might do well to put you back in your place! DX

Shiro: NOOOOOO! ToT


End file.
